Picture Perfect
by Neon-Fantasy
Summary: Kahoko and Azuma get asked to model for a new store opening in town. Against her will, Azuma not only accepts for the both of them but gives the impression they're together for the shoot. But for what reason? /Azuma x Kahoko/ feat. Kaho x Ry/Ka/Ke/Le
1. Chapter 01

**Picture Perfect**

By NeonFantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure, I'm merely borrowing the characters to express my love for Azuma and Kahoko as a pairing. Hanako Kirishima however is my own character. :D

* * *

Chapter 1

Early one morning, Kahoko was on her way to school. She was up bright and early which was a change for her - even her mother was surprised. She wasn't certain how she did it, as Kahoko did nothing out of the ordinary but when she woke up, she felt bright and energetic and had no need to sleep in. Once she was outside, a clear blue sky greeted her while the sound of birds chirping filled the air. Kahoko smiled to herself, she had a feeling today was going to be a good day.

With more time to spare, Kahoko decided to take a different route to school by passing through the shopping arcade. There weren't many stores open at this time of day, besides supermarkets and convenient stores. While passing through, Kahoko would glance at the window displays of any store that caught her eye. There were many things which she would have liked to buy, if she had the money to burn. She would have liked to wear more dresses like the ones she and Shouko wore at the concours; they were so beautiful and elegant, Shouko looked especially good in what she wore. Kahoko got her dresses from Lili which she was thankful for, but they were designs Lili made up himself. She never got the opportunity to choose an outfit for herself which was disappointing but she didn't discourage, there would always be other opportunities.

What she didn't expect was that opportunity was going to come sooner than expected.

Ahead, Kahoko noticed a lady in approximately her mid-thirties carrying a vast amount of boxes out from a van. They looked very large and too much for the woman to handle on her own but this didn't seem to discourage her.

While Kahoko watched this lady work, she noticed a tower of boxes setup by the store were leaning too far forward. The one on the top was only moments away from falling to the ground and bringing every other box with it. Without a second to spare, Kahoko quickly ran towards the boxes in order to prevent their fall. She reached out managed to save most of them but the one from the top had landed upside down on the pavement with its contents scattered everywhere.

"Ah no, I wasn't fast enough," Kahoko puffed from the sudden sprint and noticed the lady approach her.

"Oh dear, I didn't notice they were about to fall. I should have been more careful." The lady sighed with exhaustion as she went to clean up what had fallen on the ground. Now seeing her close up, Kahoko couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was, she definitely looked very good for her age, so refined and elegant. She had short maroon coloured hair and had long bangs at the front of her face which she tucked behind her ears. She had a slender figure which was shaped beautifully with the purple dress she wore and had a white scarf wrapped around her neck to complete the outfit. It was a simple yet elegant look, but Kahoko could tell this outfit could be dressed up or down to suit any occasion.

"Allow me to help," Kahoko offered as she kneeled down to assist the lady in her clean up. From what she picked up, Kahoko noticed they were different types of fabric. There were a variety of silks, both plain and embroidered and found other materials like cotton and lace. There were others but she wasn't sure what they were, only that they felt nice to touch.

"These are very pretty," Kahoko commented as she placed what she had back in the box.

"Yes, they are," the lady replied as she put the rest of the materials inside, "I use this fabric to make evening gowns."

"Eh? You're a dress maker?"

She gave a little laugh before answering, "I can make a variety of clothes for any occasion. Whether it's comfortable, day to day outfits, evening wear or cosplay, I can make it. I specialise more so in outfits for women but I do have a range of male designs. I make whatever inspires me but I can take requests as well. I have assistants that help me too; however they won't be starting for another couple of hours. I thought I would make a head start with setting up but it's turning out to be more difficult than I thought."

"You're opening a new shop right? I'll definitely come back once you're ready for trade," Kahoko smiled.

"You are more than welcome anytime," the lady replied, "I do make quite a few outfits for girls your age, so I hope my designs appeal to you."

"I'm sure they will!" Kahoko answered excitedly, imagining the outfits she hoped to find when she came back. As she had been talking to this lady for a while now, Kahoko realised she hadn't introduced herself yet, "Oh, forgive my rudeness, my name is Kahoko Hino. I'm a second year student at Seisou Academy. It's a pleasure to meet you." Kahoko bowed her head in greeting.

"My name is Hanako Kirishima, a pleasure to meet you too, Hino-san." Hanako bowed her head in turn then said, "Thank you once again for your help, it was much appreciated."

"Oh no, I can't leave you to take care of this all by yourself. If you would like to sort things out inside, I can carry these boxes in for you," Kahoko offered.

"Oh I couldn't ask that of you, besides, don't you have school?" Hanako asked.

"I do but not for a while yet, I was going to arrive a little early anyway."

Hanako was uncertain at first but staring at Kahoko's cheerful face, seeing in her the genuine willingness to help; she couldn't help but take her up on her offer, "You are most kind, thank you Hino-san. I promise to make this up to you."

"Just leave it to me!" Kahoko reassured as she put her school bag and violin case down by the store's entrance and got started with moving the boxes inside. Hanako watched her retreating back for a moment and couldn't help but smile at her thoughtfulness. Not many people would help a stranger like this, especially when they didn't expect anything in return, but Hanako wasn't going to take advantage of her kindness, she was certain she could find something to give Kahoko in thanks. But for now, she had work to do so she followed Hanako inside and began going through the boxes she brought in.

* * *

Meanwhile, Azuma was passing by his black chauffer driven car. He was staring out the window in a daze, not all that enthused to go to school but as usual, he will put on his Prince Charming mask and act as though he didn't have a care in the world. Since the concours ended and they arrived back from their summer camp, things had been quite dull for him, especially since he hadn't seen Kahoko much lately. The rare opportunities where they did cross paths, she would always be accompanied by someone, whether it be her two friends from the gen-ed department or someone like Ryotaro or Kazuki. The thought made his eyebrow twitch with annoyance, then he caught himself, realising how emotional he was getting over something so petty and smiled, 'Heh, I really do lose my rhythm when she is concerned.' Azuma thought to himself.

Looking ahead to see how much further they were from school, Azuma found them passing through the shopping arcade and was surprised to see Kahoko up ahead. She looked to be carrying boxes into a store which he wasn't familiar with, not that it really mattered what she was doing, she was alone, that's what mattered. A smile graced his lips as he instructed his driver to stop ahead of the van. The chauffer did as ordered and got out of the car to open Azuma's door. When Azuma got out, he brushed some of his long purple hair behind his ear and went to approach her.

By this time, most of the boxes had been carried inside the store, only one remained and it was still sitting at the back of the van. Kahoko reached out for it and dragged it to the edge of the van's boot but noticed it was much heavier than the other boxes. She slipped her hands underneath the box to test its weight and figured she wouldn't be able to hold it for long. If she picked it up and quickly raced inside the store, she may be able to put it on the ground just in time before her weak hands dropped the heavy load. Readying herself, Kahoko took a deep breath and lifted the box, already feeling the strain in her arms. As she backed away from the van she felt her back suddenly knock into someone which startled her at first, as she guessed it to be Hanako.

"Ah!" Kahoko turned her head, "I'm so sorry Kirishi-" before she could finish, she found her eyes locked with not Hanako's but someone else who she knew all too well.

Azuma stared into Kahoko's eyes for a moment, noticing the evident shock in her gaze which made him smile with satisfaction. He leaned down to her ear, purposely grazing his cheek against the side of her head and whispered, "Good morning, Hino-san." He greeted with his cheerful, light hearted tone which he used at school. While it seemed innocent, there was a hint of that darkness in him which made the greeting sound more mocking than anything else. His voice seemed to echo in Kahoko's ears as though they were in a big empty room with nothing and no one else around for miles. The feel of his hot breath against her ear and the warmth he was bringing to her back sent cold, tingly sensations up and down her spine, causing the nerves to kick in as a result. She felt her grip slipping on the heavy box in her hands while her arms begged her to drop this heavy burden.

"Oh no!" Kahoko exclaimed as she felt the box about to slip from her grasp. That was until she felt Azuma's arms reach out to catch the bottom of the box, helping her support its weight. Kahoko was relieved and was about to thank him when she noticed that she was locked between Azuma and this box with his arms blocking any means of escape. Azuma let out a little sigh, "Really now, Hino, what were you going to do if you broke anything in here? I'm sure the shop keeper wouldn't have been too impressed, how careless of you." He was now using the deep yet sensual tone of his 'dark-self' which always put Kahoko on edge.

"I-I'm sorry," Kahoko murmured, trying her best to keep calm and focus on nothing but the box; just the box, not Azuma's arms resting close to either side of her waist, not the feel of his body against her back, not feel of his breath tickling her ear and not the sound of his alluring voice which made her legs weak every time she heard it... She was in trouble.

"Hm? Something wrong, Kahoko?" Azuma enquired, knowing full too well how nervous he was making her and now using her first name to send her over the edge. Kahoko's heart was beating so hard and fast that she hoped Azuma couldn't hear it. Her cheeks were burning bright red while she felt she was going to pass out.

"Y-Yunoki-senpai, c-can you please let go? I-I can handle it now..." Kahoko said breathlessly, trying her best to remain calm.

Azuma pretended to think on this, as though debating what course of action to take before answering, "Hmm, I offer my hand to a girl in trouble and this is the thanks I get? No thank you? Not even a greeting? Just simply 'let go'? I have to say I feel somewhat insulted."

Kahoko was startled and turned her head to look at him, "T-That's not what I meant! I am grateful for the assistance but please..." Kahoko noticed then that Azuma's face was dangerously close to her own, leaving her distracted and unable to finish her sentence. She stared into the golden orbs of his eyes, seeing her reflection clearly as though looking into a mirror. His eyes were narrowed, showing a hint of annoyance but it did nothing to shield away the beauty and wonder of his face - it was the definition of perfection, no flaws were evident. His eyes seemed to draw you in while his skin and hair begged to be touched while his lips, his lips...

Unlike Kahoko, Azuma was very perceptive, especially when it came to her. He could see how she was staring, thinking at first to say, 'Why are you staring like some sort of freak?' But that was only because he wasn't used to this sort of behaviour from her. Many girls stared at him at Seisou so you would think he'd be used to it but because it was Kahoko, it was strangely making him feel a little, self conscious. Still, it would take more than stares to make him lose his composure, thus giving him the idea to help Kahoko lose hers further. The thought brought a wicked yet seductive smile to his face. 'Consider this punishment...' He thought before saying out loud, "Would you like to try them?"

"E-Eh!?" Kahoko snapped out of her trance, not certain if she heard him correctly.

"My lips, would you like to try them? I can guarantee you won't be disappointed..." Azuma pressed against her more while giving her a willing, suggestive look.

"T-That's-I'm not-As in-I-I'm-I," Kahoko was stuttering all over the place while her face turned to a brighter shade of red than her hair. She had no idea what happened just now but she certainly didn't want to kiss him... Or did she? She recalled the night she went to Azuma's house, posing as his lover and remembered the kiss he planted on her head. It was so soft yet so gentle, but why was she thinking such things now?!

Azuma couldn't hold it in anymore, Kahoko's flustered face, along with her panicking eyes and stuttering voice made him break down into hysterics. He did his best to laugh as quietly as possible but Kahoko made it near impossible. He could never get sick of this. Teasing her had become one of his favourite hobbies and the result never disappointed him.

"Y-You're horrible Yunoki-senpai," Kahoko sighed, feeling like such a fool.

Azuma calmed down after a moment, although amusement was still evident in his gaze, "And you're as cute as ever, Kahoko."

Hanako was watching the two of them from the store window, taking in the scene before her like it was from a movie. She couldn't hear what they were saying, although it looked to her as though the young man was very close to Kahoko, like he was her boyfriend or something. Hanako smiled to herself, they looked so cute together that it was hard to turn away and get back to work. Together they seemed to glow and it drew the attention of by-passers as well. For experimental purposes, Hanako brought her hands up to make the shape of a rectangle with her thumbs and index fingers connecting. She framed the two students between her fingers like a picture frame and looked through the hole to see how it looked. Her breath stilled while her eyes widened with discovery as though she had found a treasure chest. She had just found two candidates to help promote the opening of her new store.

* * *

"Y-Yunoki-senpai..." Kahoko strained herself to say, finding herself once again in Azuma's car against her will, "I could have walked."

Azuma just smiled sweetly, "It was no trouble taking you with me. Besides, we spent quite a bit of time at Kirishima-san's store that I feel you would have been late if you walked."

Kahoko glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was sitting crossed legged with hands folded on his lap. He was staring out his window with a bright, cheerful expression plastered on his face. It didn't look like the type of expression he wore at school; it looked more genuine and real now that Kahoko knew both sides of his personality. She guessed it may have something to do with Hanako's offer before they left her store.

FLASHBACK

"...M-Model?!" Kahoko exclaimed in shock, "You want us to model for you?"

Hanako nodded, "Its been an idea of mine to seek the help of locals to promote my store. I want regular, down to earth people to model my clothes to show no matter who you are, or how old you are, you don't need to be a super model to wear my outfits. I'm going to be seeking out others but for your general age group, I would love it if you two could assist me as I do require both female and male models. Besides, Hino-san, I think you and your boyfriend would look simply stunning in my designs."

"B-Boyfriend?!" Kahoko exclaimed as her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. She waved her hands about and said, "W-We aren't like that Kirishima-san! We're just friends, right, Yunoki-senpai?" Turning to Azuma for reassurance, she noticed him looking down at her with that dreamy, charming look of his which would make any girl swoon. She stared up at him in confusion at first, wondering why he was looking at her like that until she felt his arm snake around her waist unexpectedly. Initially it made her jump with surprise but what embarrassed her further was when he laid his head over her own as though this was a natural thing for them.

"Please don't mind her, Kirishima-san; we only recently got together so she still gets a bit embarrassed when the topic of our relationship comes up." Azuma said, his words not wavering in the slightest, even though it was a total lie. Kahoko was close to having a nervous breakdown but stood as stiff as a board. She couldn't comprehend why Azuma would lie about something like this again. Before it was with Ayano and he wanted Kahoko to pretend to be his lover so she would stop pursuing him, but what was it about this time?

Hanako sighed with relief at Azuma's words, believing them in full confidence and completely forgetting what Kahoko said earlier, "Oh I'm so glad. For a moment there I couldn't believe I was wrong, you two look so close that it just seemed surprising that you weren't together." Hanako turned her attention to Kahoko, "You shouldn't be embarrassed Hino-san, you should be proud to have such a kind and handsome boyfriend." Handsome was the only part Hanako got right, but Kahoko couldn't believe the older lady believed him so easily, not that Kahoko was doing much to prove Azuma wrong but this just didn't seem right. They had only just met Hanako; it was only fair that she knew the truth. Kahoko opened her mouth, ready to confess but Azuma cut in before her and asked Hanako, "So, about the details of this modelling session you require..."

END OF FLASHBACK

Kahoko couldn't believe Azuma accepted her offer, and what was worse was that he accepted for the both of them. She had no idea how to model; she didn't even think she was model material. Kahoko wondered if she should visit Hanako again after school to decline her offer, hopefully it wouldn't cause too much trouble but she didn't want to end up being a disappointment. While Hanako was asking a huge favour of them, they still needed to do a reasonable job to help promote her store and make it appeal to the community. This seemed like too much for her to take and she couldn't help but sigh at how hopeless it all seemed.

"You aren't giving up already are you?" Azuma asked with slight annoyance, sensing the worry in Kahoko's body language, which wasn't really necessary in his opinion, but he sugar-coated his response, not wanting the driver to sense anything out of the ordinary.

"I-I don't know, this is just, unexpected I suppose. It's still taking a while to register..." It wasn't far from the truth but Kahoko didn't want to express her true concerns. Azuma watched her for a while, sensing more behind her words than what she intended but he kept silent about it, for now. After a couple of minutes, Kahoko noticed from the window that they were nearing the school, but it only occurred to her then that Azuma usually had a group of girls greet him every morning by the school entrance, how were they going to feel when they saw her riding in the same car? Kahoko paled at the thought. She was about to ask Azuma if she could walk the rest of the way but the car slowed to a stop before she could.

The driver opened the door to Kahoko's side and waited patiently for her to get out.

"This is what you want, right?" Azuma asked, having already planned in advance to drop her off near the school.

Kahoko smiled at his thoughtfulness, "Thank you, Yunoki-senpai, and thank you very much for the ride to sch-" She was unable to finish when she felt Azuma's finger press gently against her lips to silence her. Kahoko's heart skipped a beat at this little form of contact. Her golden gaze met his own as she waited for him speak, assuming he had something to say as he silenced her in mid-sentence but he didn't. His attention seemed focused on her lips and he made no move to remove his finger. He caressed her bottom lip ever so softly, causing her lip to tingle with unexpected pleasure. Kahoko's cheeks flushed pink as she searched Azuma's gaze quizzically, not certain what he was doing but not having the nerve to pull away from him either. She watched as he leaned in close, his nose almost touching hers as he allowed his finger to drop and whispered, "Do not disappoint me, Kahoko." His voice was dark and sensual again, making her heart flutter at the mere sound of it. She wasn't sure what he was referring to exactly, at first she thought it had something to do with the modelling but he continued watching her as though he expected something. What it was she couldn't tell, nor did she have the nerve to find out.

"U-Um, I'll, s-see you later. T-Thank you again!" Kahoko quickly got out of the car with her bag and violin case in hand as she quickly ran from the car, not looking back as she felt her face burning red again while her heart was racing. How did Azuma have such an effect on her? She had never felt so many emotions sweep through her in such a little amount of time. School hadn't even started and she was already exhausted. She bit her lower lip a little, still feeling Azuma's lingering touch as if his finger were still there. His touch was soft and warm and the way he stared at her was different from what she was used to. His eyes were so full of emotion but his face was expressionless, making it hard to read what was going through his mind. She guessed he just wanted to get a rise out of her, like usual, but part of her wished that there was more meaning behind it than just pure entertainment.

'W-Wait, more meaning!?' Kahoko was shocked at her inner thoughts, 'Kahoko, pull yourself together, this is Yunoki-senpai! He was acting the way he usually does, with no meaning behind it what so ever!' Kahoko shook her head and took a deep breath of fresh air to clear her thoughts. She was at school now so she didn't need her mind running circles over something that didn't probably mean anything. At the entrance of Seisou Academy, Kahoko watched the various students arriving on the premises. She could see Azuma's loyal fan-girls waiting in anticipation for Azuma's arrival. Kahoko always found this a little bizarre and admired Azuma for being able to put up with it every single day.

"Kaho-chan!" Kazuki called out to with his arm waving above his head, "Good morning!"

Kahoko smiled brightly as she watched him run over to her, "Good morning Hihara-senpai, how are you this morning?"

"Very good, but even better now that I got to see you, Kaho-chan!" Kazuki smiled while Kahoko blushed a little at his words. At that moment she noticed Azuma's car park outside the school entrance. The door was opened for him and he stepped out with his usual elegance and grace which made his fan-girls swoon. Immediately after the car drives off, he looks over the series of girls and gave them a charming smile, "Good morning everyone." The moment he said that, his fan-girls swooped to him like a series of baby chicks. They greeted him and welcomed him to school with overwhelming affection which he accepted as usual.

"Heh, Yunoki is as popular as ever," Kazuki chuckled, "I don't know how he manages."

"Wouldn't every guy like that sort of attention?" Kahoko asked.

"You kidding? That would drive me insane if it was me! What I would prefer..." Kazuki trailed off then, not certain if he should finish his sentence.

"What you would prefer?" Kahoko questioned as Kazuki turned his golden gaze to hers.

He stared at her thoughtfully while Kahoko waited patiently for him to continue. His cheeks turned a slight shade of red as he built up the courage to go on," I would prefer, only one girl to greet me like that every morning." With that said, he hoped she would ask who so then he would confess it being her. He waited with anticipation while Kahoko nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would make it more special wouldn't it? I wish you luck with that, Hihara-senpai!"

Kazuki felt shot down, even though he knew it was unintentional, "Don't you want to know who Kaho-chan?"

"Eh? Who?" Kahoko asked with a puzzled expression.

A short distance away, Azuma was watching them like a hawk, completely ignoring the girls who had him surrounded. He kindly excused himself from their presence, which they had no problem with as upsetting Yunoki-sama would be a fate worse than death. He approached Kazuki from behind and patted him on the shoulder before the green haired boy could say anything further, "Good morning Hihara."

"Ah! Yunoki, you scared me ha-ha. Good morning!" Hihara was a little startled, not from the fact that Azuma snuck up to him from behind but the fact that he was so close to telling Kahoko how he felt. Azuma sensed this, which is why he walked over in the first place. He looked to Kahoko and noticed her smiling at Kazuki until her gaze locked on his, that was when her smile wavered and her cheeks turned a tinge of pink. Azuma couldn't help but smile wickedly at first but quickly turned the smile into a kind, innocent one and said, "Good morning, Hino-san, how are you?"

"G-Good morning, Yunoki-senpai. I am fine, thank you," Kahoko replied softly with her eyes averted from his.

"That's good. I hope you aren't causing any problems for her Hihara," Azuma stated, although what he really meant was that he didn't want Kazuki saying anything unnecessary.

"O-Of course not! I would never!" Hihara pouted like a child.

"Well then, class is going to start soon so we better head off," Azuma said, as he turned his attention back to Kahoko, "Take care getting to class."

Kazuki waved, "Yeah, and we'll see you later, Kaho-chan!"

Kahoko waved to them as both Kazuki and Azuma started heading to the music department. Kahoko was relieved that she was in the gen-ed department, not that she disliked music, but she had less chances of running into certain people - particularly Azuma. Not that she disliked him, but with the events that took place this morning, she wasn't sure if could survive an entire day of it, yet there she was staring after him like one of his fan-girls... There was something seriously wrong with her. Yet at that moment, she noticed Azuma stop to look back at her, as though sensing her stares. Kahoko blinked with confusion at first, wondering if something was wrong, but then she watched as he raised his finger to his lips, the one he had used to caressed her bottom lip with earlier and suddenly kissed it. From anyone else's point of view, it would only look like he was gesturing for someone to be quiet or something, but to Kahoko, it meant something totally different. Her eyes widened with realisation as she felt her heart skip a beat while butterflies danced in her stomach. Azuma merely chuckled at her reaction and went to catch up with Kazuki with the look of satisfaction on his face.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yay, the first chapter to my first La Corda d'Oro story is up. I can't believe I forgot to edit this on the website before uploading :P I was getting so excited that I was forgetting the details lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this, thank you for reading and please review – I'd like to know your thoughts on this so far to see if it's written alright and if I captured the character's personality's okay. I think I did, but yeah, let me know otherwise as I only recently got into the series. Watched the anime and up to volume 8 of the manga hehe. Thank you once again for reading, see you on the next chapter hopefully.


	2. Chapter 02

**Picture Perfect**

By NeonFantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure, I'm merely borrowing the characters featured in the manga/anime/game. Hanako Kirishima is my character. :D Azuma and Kahoko forever! I love you Yunoki-sama! XD

* * *

Chapter 2

School was finally over for the day, much to Kahoko's relief. The day seemed to go by so slowly that she felt it was never going to end. She couldn't even remember what happened or what she had learnt, for she got caught out numerous times daydreaming in class. Because of this, she got assigned cleaning duty after school which depressed her. As much as she would have liked to blame Azuma for this, as it was him she was daydreaming about, it was her own fault for letting him get to her so much. She sighed, knowing he'd get a kick out of this if he found out, but thankfully she was almost done; all she had to do now was mop the floors, then she could go.

Hopefully she didn't inconvenience Hanako and Azuma for being late. She could picture the look on Azuma's face when she finally arrived. The thought made her smile slightly; he wasn't that bad really, while he teased her, he was also thoughtful, charming, romantic, good looking... Realising what she was thinking, Kahoko quickly shook her head to dismiss those thoughts, not certain why they even came to mind, but she couldn't afford to be spacing out, again! Chanting to herself to keep her mind void of all thought, Kahoko grabbed the mop and took a step towards the back of the room but didn't notice the bucket of hot water in front of her. "Waaa!" She screamed as she collided into a desk while the bucket's contents splashed all over the floor. "O-Ouch..." Kahoko winced, as she rubbed her stomach, for the corner of the desk hit her in that general area. Looking down at the ground, Kahoko sighed for this was now going to take longer to clean than was originally intended.

Just then, Kahoko heard the footsteps of someone running down the hallways towards her classroom. She turned her head to see who it was, and standing by the doorway was none other than Ryotaro Tsuchiura, dressed in his soccer uniform.

"Hino?" Ryotaro stared at her quizzically as he noticed her leaning over a desk with a large puddle of soapy water spreading across the floor, and continuing to spread. The tipped over bucket pretty much told him what happened so he didn't bother asking about that but he couldn't help but grow concerned over her fall, "Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself did you?"

Kahoko laughed sheepishly as she got off the desk, "Tsuchiura-kun, I'm fine, just not paying attention to what I'm doing."

"I see; well I'm glad you're not hurt," Ryotaro smiled, "You on cleaning duty?"

"Yes, it was punishment for not paying attention in classes," Hanako explained as she grasped the mop with both hands.

Ryotaro chuckled a little, "I see; did you want any help?"

"I'll be fine; after all, don't you still have practice?"

"Oh, well yeah," Ryotaro rubbed the back of his head, as the only reason he came back inside the building was to get a text book he had left behind. When he heard Kahoko scream he had rushed over to see what it was, surprised that someone was still even in the building.

"Well, have fun; I'll talk to you later okay?" Kahoko got to work with cleaning the floors. Ryotaro watched her silently, first eyeing the smooth movements of the mop gliding across the floor, then Kahoko's hands where they held onto the mop firmly, then her face as she concentrated on where she was cleaning, smiling all the while as though enjoying herself which got him smiling as well.

"Um, Hino," Ryotaro called out a little hesitantly as Kahoko placed the mop inside the bucket before turning her gaze to his. Kahoko noticed he looked uncomfortable all of a sudden, which was strange as moments ago he seemed fine, but she waited patiently for him to finish.

"I was wondering if, I don't know, maybe if you weren't doing anything later that-"

"Hino-san," Azuma called out cheerfully as he stood by the classroom's entrance, his presence startling both Ryotaro and Kahoko.

Ryotaro turned his head to look at the upperclassman in surprise, at first thinking he was hearing things when he heard his voice a second ago, "Y-Yunoki-senpai? What are you doing here?"

Azuma eyed Kahoko for a brief second before looking up at Ryotaro, retaining his gentlemanly appearance, "A teacher of Hino-san's gave me some papers which she wanted me to hand her. She informed me of her cleaning duties so, assuming she was still here, I came to pay a little visit." He flashed Ryotaro one of his kind, innocent smiles.

"I-I see," Ryotaro rubbed the back of his head, finding it too difficult to finish what he was about to say to Kahoko, now that Azuma was here. Noticing the time, Ryotaro looked to Kahoko and said, "I'll talk to you later, my captain is probably wondering where I am so I better go. Good luck with your cleaning."

Kahoko nodded and waved, "Good luck with practice."

"Thanks," he then turned to Azuma, "It was nice seeing you again, Yunoki-senpai."

Azuma nodded then replied, "Same here; take care now."

While walking away, Ryotaro wondered why Azuma would be asked to go out of his way to deliver school work to Kahoko. They were from different departments and different year levels, so why would a teacher ask this sort of favour of him? Then again, Azuma was a very friendly and trustworthy student. It seemed natural for student of his reputation to go out of his way for people so Ryotaro dismissed his suspicions, for they were probably nothing.

Azuma watched Ryotaro leave then sighed when he was gone. Running a hand through his hair in frustration, he noticed Kahoko looking at him with curiosity and asked, "What is it?"

"Oh, I was just wondering what papers you needed to hand me." Kahoko answered.

"There are no papers," Azuma replied as he leaned against the doorway, continuing to watch her as he noticed her mind working like clockwork to figure out why he was here. They would be here all day if he left her to try and figure it out so decided to get her mind back to the task at hand, "Well, Hino, staring at me isn't going to clean those floors," Azuma smiled which snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I-I wasn't staring," Kahoko refused to admit, but understood that she needed to get back to work. Turning her attention back to the mop, she squeezed out the excess water in the bucket and resumed cleaning the floors, although she was a little distracted this time as she was all too aware of Azuma's presence and how he was standing there silently, watching her. His gaze lingered over her body, observing the way she worked, moved, and somewhat admiring the way she looked.

"You would look good in a French maid's outfit," Azuma thought, "I should ask if Kirishima-san if she sells them..." Kahoko nearly fell over when she heard that random statement.

"Y-Yunoki-senpai! You wouldn't!" Kahoko gasped with shock as her cheeks began to burn red with embarrassment.

He smiled wickedly, "Wouldn't I? I can't deny that it's becoming a fantasy of mine, I'd love to make it a reality."

"B-But," Kahoko was struggling to think of ways to get out of it, "I couldn't see myself wearing something like that, and I most definitely wouldn't want people seeing me like that either!"

Azuma pondered this, "Yes I guess that is a bit of a problem..." He trailed off while Kahoko sighed with relief, thinking she was in the clear, that was until she noticed him push off the doorway and began walking inside the classroom. While the floors were wet, each step he took retained its grace and didn't waver in the slightest as he drew closer and closer to his red-haired victim. Kahoko stared up at him, noticing his eyes were narrowed but giving off irresistible appeal while his lips were curved into that sensual smile which made her heart flutter at the mere sight of it. She began backing away in both fear and excitement, not at all sure what he was going to do but couldn't help but be drawn to him at the same time.

"As you can't see yourself wearing such an outfit," Azuma started, using his dark, alluring tone which made chills run down her spine, "then I guess I'll have to close your eyes... and I wouldn't want others seeing you like that either, oh no, that would be an exclusive pleasure for my-self only..."

Being so cautious of Azuma's movements, Kahoko wasn't paying any attention to where she was going. The wet floors made her slip suddenly as she gasped and started falling backwards. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact as she suddenly felt a hand reach behind her head while another wrapped itself around her waist. She felt as though she was in mid-air, meaning she had been saved, and none other than... Kahoko swallowed at the lump that was forming in her throat as she hesitantly opened her eyes. With the close contact of their bodies and Azuma's face close to her own, Kahoko's body tensed up with nervousness as her heart began beating like a drum against her chest.

"I always knew you'd fall for me, Kahoko," Azuma purred, causing Kahoko's heart to race all the more. His faced closed in on hers, allowing Kahoko to breathe in the flowery scent of his hair and the irresistible smell of his cologne. As his lips drew closer, Kahoko could feel a tingly sensation in her lips from the feel of his hot breath. She was so nervous by this sudden turn of events that her body began to tremble while feeling the urge to pass out. Too scared to watch what was to happen next, Kahoko closed her eyes as a last line of defence, even though it left her open for Azuma to do whatever he wished...

There was a pause, then a muffled laugh which made Kahoko's eyes flash open. Azuma could barely contain himself; he quickly put Kahoko back on her feet and let her go as he didn't trust he could hold her for much longer. "Oh Kahoko, you are so cute," Azuma placed a hand over his mouth as he continued to laugh but did his best to not give into hysterical laughter.

Kahoko couldn't believe it; was everything he just said and done nothing but an act? Was it all just to get a rise out of her and nothing more? She was speechless, speechless and embarrassed, yet here he was laughing at her expense as though she was a toy. She should have known better, yet she fell for it every time, but in this case, she couldn't help but feel a little, disappointed and hurt. She had no idea why but her heart throbbed in pain which she did her best to hide as she didn't want Azuma to notice.

"Kahoko," Azuma said, brushing away a tear as he finally calmed down. He looked at her with bright, cheerful eyes as his smile radiated happiness, a look which Kahoko had never seen before. He reached out and brushed his fingers through her silky red hair gently before closing in on it. His next action caught her completely off guard as she watched him plant a kiss on the ends of her hair where his fingers were curled around it. His eyes looked up at hers as he whispered, "Thank you..." He was worried before and even annoyed at Kahoko for being alone with Ryotaro but seeing her now, the way she behaved around him, focusing on nothing but him and only him relieved the swelling jealousy in his heart. He had wanted to punish her, and did so, but afterwards felt surprisingly guilty. This small gesture he hoped was enough for her to forgive him, to show his appreciation, and hint at his secret desire to have her. Although he doubted she would catch any of those hidden messages.

* * *

Once the classroom was cleaned, Azuma offered to take her with him to Hanako's store. As embarrassing as this was for her, she knew she had no choice but to go as Azuma would force her to come with him, one way or another. When they had arrived, they were greeted kindly by Hanako who wasn't at all upset at their late arrival and welcomed them inside.

There were still boxes to be unpacked from what Kahoko observed but this was still in progress as assistants of Hanako's focused on sorting them out. They were all girls who Kahoko guessed were in their twenties as they looked older than herself and Azuma but younger than Hanako. They would turn to look at Hanako, then herself briefly but when they saw Azuma; they would stare after him like he was some kind of celebrity. Kahoko could understand, as he had that effect on people and even invited it, but that didn't help ease the tinge of jealousy Kahoko was feeling.

They moved to the back of the room where Hanako opened a door for Kahoko and Azuma to walk through, revealing another area which was completely separate to the store. Here it was a lot more tidy and organised. To the left of the room, tall lighting stands and fans were setup near a large white screen which hung over the wall. Kahoko guessed this was where they were going to get their photos taken. To the right in the upper corner of the room was where some computer equipment had been setup and the lower right had sofas surrounding a small coffee table. Ahead of them was a hallway that led to store rooms and spare rooms for Hanako's assistants to work in when they were designing or making clothes, Hanako's office was located right down the end of the hall. Kahoko was shocked by how large this store was; even when they had first walked in there were stairs that lead to a second storey but didn't seem connected to this area of the building.

"Well Hino-san, Yunoki-san," Hanako said as she got out some measuring tape, "I'll need to see what sizes you are before I can give you your outfits." She measured up Kahoko first; nodding in approval of her size then walked to Yunoki and measured him up, he was slimmer than she had expected but that didn't mean finding his size would be a problem; it was finding the right outfits to suit them. Now knowing their size, Hanako walked over to one of the store rooms, thinking through what outfits she had available as she went through each clothes rack. While she was doing this, Azuma glanced at Kahoko and asked, "You nervous?"

"A little, I've never done anything like this before..." Kahoko answered.

"Neither have I, but it should be fun." Azuma said with a gentle smile as his gaze went from hers to the doorway which led to the front of store, "Seems our photographer has arrived." He smiled sweetly while Kahoko looked to see who it was. When she saw her, Kahoko's eyes widened as she took a few steps back, wondering if it was too late to run and hide somewhere. A girl with long, light brown, wavy hair walked in with a backpack, satchel and her trusty camera in hand. She was wearing casual clothes which consisted of a white three-quarter sleeved top and blue jeans. When her blue eyes locked onto Kahoko, her expression beamed as she yelled excitedly, "Hino-san! You really are here!" The girl rushed up and held her arms out as she smothered Kahoko into a big, tight hug. Their collision made Kahoko stagger backwards, causing her to bump into Azuma which startled her and made her blush a little. Azuma merely smiled and looked at their photographer, "Nice to see you, Amou-san."

"Hello Yunoki-senpai, Hino-san," Nami Amou greeted as she released Kahoko, "I'm so glad that I will be able to take your pictures. When I heard you two were participating in this, I knew I just had to be involved in some way! "

"How did you become the photographer, Amou-san?" Kahoko asked as she put a tiny bit of space between herself and Azuma.

"It was by chance, I was taking photos of the area and accidently snapped a shot with Kirishima-san in it. The flash startled her, which I apologised for, but noticing my uniform she ended up asking me questions about my photography. After a while she mentioned the whole amateur modelling thing, and how you and Yunoki-senpai were going to participate. From there on it was a no-brainer, I had just to help out any way I could! This will be great experience for me, and being able to help with the magazine development will make it all the more worthwhile!"

"Ah, hello Amou-san," Hanako greeted as she returned with the outfits she wanted Kahoko and Azuma to wear, "You wanted them to start with formal attire correct?"

Nami nodded, "They wore formal outfits at the concours we had at school; so they should be comfortable wearing them for the shoot." Kahoko watched the way they talked and noticed how well they got along, it was like they had known each other for years. They must have talked a lot when she and Azuma weren't around.

"I see; this should be good then." Hanako smiled and gave Azuma and Kahoko their outfits with footwear to match. The clothes were still in their plastic covers so it was difficult to tell what they looked like, but they were going to find out soon enough. Hanako guided them to two empty rooms which they were to use to change in. Azuma entered his gratefully and closed the door behind him. Before Kahoko could go into hers, Nami placed a hand on her shoulder and jerked her back, "Hey, I have a question for you," she said in a low voice for only Kahoko to hear, "Earlier, Kirishima-san told me you and Yunoki-senpai were together, is this true?"

"E-Eh!?" Kahoko nearly collapsed from shock. She wanted nothing more than the ground to open up and swallow her whole if it meant getting her out of this situation. She knew telling Nami the truth would lead to some issue with Azuma but lying to her would result in Nami making it front page news for the school. She was at a loss either way, but how was she to respond? She wanted to run away but Nami looked determined to get an answer from her, "U-Um, that's-"

"Oh my!" Hanako exclaimed with delight, causing Kahoko to stop mid-sentence as Nami looked to see what it was. Kahoko was thankful for the interruption and looked to see what had caught everyone's eye. She noticed it was Azuma, he had finished changing already and the result took her breath away. He was wearing a dark grey suit which had a silvery-grey sheen to it when the light would hit it at the right angle. The jacket he wore looked like a cross between a tailcoat and frockcoat jacket with the front ends reaching about mid-thigh before they angled diagonally towards the back where it became longer, reaching to about the knee; but while a tailcoat jacket would have a vertical cut down the back, this one was cut down the sides. Where the jacket had been cut however, a belt for decoration purposes was added to it. It was made of the same material as the jacket and was secured by buttons on either side. The same type of belts were seen across the wrists and two across the front of the jacket which Azuma had done up. Inside the jacket he wore a silk blue waistcoat with a silvery blue tie and a white collar shirt.

"How do I look?" Azuma asked as he turned in a slow circle so he could be seen at every angle. Kahoko noticed he had tied his hair back in a loose pony tail, which suited the look all the more.

"Oh Yunoki-san, you look simply divine. How does the suit feel? Do you like it?" Hanako walked over to him to get a better look at his outfit.

"It feels nice, and I like the way you designed the jacket, I don't have anything like this at home," he gave her a charming smile, "I might consider even buying this if it's for sale."

"Of course, I'll give you a special price for it," Hanako smiled with delight.

"Thank you, that's very nice of you," Azuma brushed back some loose hair from his fringe as he turned to Nami and Kahoko.

"Wow, Yunoki-senpai, you look amazing, as always," Nami complimented as she nudged Kahoko, "Don't you agree?"

Kahoko's eyes swept over him nervously, he did look good, very good; so good that it was making her blush. She merely nodded in agreement, for she wasn't sure she could express herself properly in words.

Nami looked at Kahoko with curiosity, for she was acting a little strange around Azuma but she decided to let it go, for now. "We should start taking some photos; we need to take individual shots anyway. I'll take some of Yunoki-senpai now then take Hino-san's when she is ready."

"That's a good idea Amou-san, I'm going to get more outfits for them to wear while you do that," Hanako advised as she looked to Azuma and Hanako, "I'll put them in your rooms so you'll know where to find them." Hanako went back into the store room while Nami headed to the next room where the photo shoot was going to take place. Azuma went to follow Nami while Kahoko entered her change room. Before Kahoko closed the door however, she couldn't help but sneak a glance at Azuma in his suit. He looked so good in it that it was hard not to stare but she didn't want to make it obvious around the others. She started from the ground and worked her way up, however as soon as her gaze reached his face, she was startled to find him looking back at her. His lips curved into a sensual smile which made Kahoko's heart leap in response, he seemed to have caught her checking him out which made Azuma chuckle with amusement. Before he turned away however, he gave her a little wink as he disappeared into the next room. Kahoko had no idea what that was about, but the fact that he caught her even suggested he liked it made her weak in the knees.

* * *

Once she was dressed, Kahoko looked down at herself, hoping the dress looked semi-decent on her. She was wearing a pale lavender cocktail dress which went down to her knees in length. The top half of the dress had a wrap around look with sleeves which covered her shoulders. The bottom of the dress had a beautiful embroidery design at the front and fanned out slightly with folds along the dress like the shape of the letter 'A'. The heels she wore to complete the look were the same colour as the dress and were surprisingly comfortable to walk in.

Taking a deep breath, Kahoko got out of the change room and headed to the room where Nami and Azuma had entered earlier. When she saw them, Kahoko noticed the shoot had already begun so not wanting to distract them, she decided to wait by the doorway. As she watched them, Kahoko couldn't help but be surprised at the amount effort they were putting into it. Nami would regularly change the way she took her shots by either tilting the camera in different angles, changing positions or moving to a different area in the room. At times she would instruct Azuma to do something for her which he would immediately follow through without hesitation. He moved with such elegance and grace and held his poses with complete confidence. There was so much to admire about him that at times like this; Kahoko didn't feel worthy of even being in his presence, but also felt privileged for she knew many girls at Seisou would trade their lives for an opportunity to see him like this. But this shoot, even though it was a first for her, Azuma and presumably Nami, it looked very professional to her. This made her very nervous as she felt completely out of her league and was worried that she wouldn't be able to maintain the same high standards.

"And that should be it!" Nami said as she finished taking her last picture, "Great job, Yunoki-senpai."

"That was wonderful!" Hanako complimented, "Are you sure you haven't done this before? You seem like a natural, great job."

"Thank you," Azuma smiled as he noticed Kahoko standing by the doorway, "Ah, Hino-san."

Nami and Hanako turned their heads in her direction and one look at her sent them in a spiral of excitement. Both women approached Kahoko excitedly as they admired the outfit she had on.

"You look so cute Hino-san!" Nami smiled, "Very nice choice, Kirishima-san."

"Thank you, but it's the wearer that brings out the true beauty of the outfit," Hanako replied.

Kahoko smiled at their kind words, but felt unworthy of them.

Azuma approached her then, his smile as kind and as innocent as ever as he looked her over. His wandering eyes made Kahoko feel a little self-conscious, but she wasn't sure why for she had worn outfits like this during the concours and had plenty of people stare at her from the audience. Was it because this situation was different, for they were being judged on their looks and not their musical ability? Those thoughts were making her more nervousness now. Azuma noticed this and got her attention by placing his hands on her shoulders, their warmth seeping through the dress' shoulder straps, "You look beautiful, Hino-san." He gave her a small rub with his hands, as though giving her a massage and added, "I'm going to change into my next outfit now, so don't cause too much trouble for Amou-san." He let her go and passed her by as he headed to his change room once more, which was a shame as she wanted him to stay in the outfit he was in for a little longer. Still, she couldn't help but ponder over Azuma' last words, did he suspect she was going to cause trouble in some way? She hoped not; as she was going to do the best she could, no matter how nervous she got.

"Relax Hino-san," Hanako said, noticing her concern, "You'll be fine, have faith in yourself for you are a very beautiful young woman." Hanako took her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze with reassurance as she escorted her to the white screen where the shoot was going to take place. While Hanako helped talk Kahoko through the photo taking process, Nami stared at her camera and pondered over the photos she had taken of Azuma. They were good, there was nothing wrong with the shots she took but, she felt her pictures only went skin deep. She had taken photos of him before, at school and during the concours, but it was only during his third and fourth performances that she felt she captured something more than just his pretty face. She hoped to get that again in this photo shoot but it didn't happen, hopefully the next round would reward her with something special though.

"Amou-san? Are you ready?" Hanako asked as she moved out of the way.

"Ready!" Nami announced as she cleared her thoughts and smiled at Kahoko, "Ready, Hino-san?"

"I-I think so," Kahoko murmured as she clenched her hands into fists by her sides, determined to do her best and fight the nerves that were threatening to make her fail.

"Now Hino-san," Nami started as she held up her camera, experimenting with different angles, "I want you to put some feeling into the poses you do. Be sure to pose in a way that shows off the dress, of course, but I want to see it brought to life. Give it character, give it personality, just be yourself and make the dress shine with you."

Kahoko wasn't sure what she was supposed to do exactly, it was a little hard with no props or scenery to mingle with but that didn't stop Azuma, so she wouldn't let this get her down either. She tried looking to the side and brought a hand up behind head as she looked lazily to the far end of the room. She felt a flash which startled her but she recomposed herself as she folded her arms behind her back and tilted her head, forcing herself to smile at the camera as Nami took another shot. Kahoko did several poses, with Nami taking a few pictures here and there but she was beginning to run out of ways to pose.

Nami kept the camera aimed at Kahoko; however she couldn't help but stare through the lens in disappointment. She didn't want to admit it, but Kahoko moved like a robot and didn't look at all natural in the photos she had taken so far, but that wasn't right, Nami could normally take very good photos of Kahoko when she wasn't paying attention. She tried giving the red-head some direction but all it was doing was making her more stiff and uncomfortable. Nami didn't want to upset her, but she wanted to shoot better pictures than this.

Kahoko could detect the frustration in Nami's tone and was noticing the difficulty she was having in getting a good shot, as she kept shifting her position as her camera got rotated in different angles regularly. Was she doing something wrong? Was she not moving the way Nami wanted? Kahoko was doing her best but it was becoming too difficult to endure. How could you push yourself to do something if you felt you were failing miserably? Even Hanako was looking a little troubled, but kept silent as she allowed Nami to continue with the shoot. Kahoko froze, for she had no idea what to do. How could she turn this around and make her poses pleasing to them? She tried to keep her confidence about her but it was failing to show, for her body began to tremble and her eyes showed evident fear.

'...Kahoko...'

It was then that the sound of flute playing could be heard, it's beautiful, gentle melody resonating across the room. Kahoko's attention shifted to the music, recognising it as Azuma but he didn't look to be anywhere in the room. He had to be close by though, for his music to be so loud and clear. Kahoko closed her eyes, allowing the music to sweep through her as she gave in to its sweet melody. She recognised the tune; it was 'Morning Mood', the first song Azuma played in the concours which related to the theme 'Opening Up'...

"Opening up, huh...?" Kahoko murmured to herself as she smiled, was he trying to encourage her through song? She placed her hands over her chest as she continued listening to his music, allowing her anxiety and nerves to be swept away by its tune. Hanako and Nami were distracted by the flute playing, but it too helped them relax as they listened closely to the notes. Nami looked to Kahoko then, noticing the way she was posed she quickly raised her camera and took a shot. As she did, Kahoko's eyes slowly opened, showing a radiant glow which Nami couldn't help but stare at as the red-head began to pose with more grace and self-confidence. The way her body moved and her arms swayed, it was like she was dancing and looked ready to soar. Nami continued to take photos, for this was exactly what she wanted. She knew Kahoko had it in her to radiate that beauty she kept locked within herself, and who would have thought Azuma would be the one to help break her out of that shell of doubt?

The magic faded once the song was over, however its effects remained in Kahoko's heart. She felt at peace at this moment and seemed to totally forget where she was and what she was doing. She was brought back to reality by Hanako who rushed up to her and took her by the hands to congratulate her, "Oh Hino-san! You were simply amazing! That was beautiful! I'm so impressed!"

"U-Um, it was nothing really..." Kahoko said, feeling a little embarrassed by such praise.

"Hino-san, you were gorgeous," Nami said, smiling widely, "And I'll prove it to you once I get these photos developed!"

"Hino-san," Azuma called out as he entered the room with his flute in hand. He smiled sweetly at her while Kahoko beamed with delight.

She ran to him excitedly, for if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have known what to do. Once she was close enough, Kahoko reached out and suddenly embraced him, "Thank you, Yunoki-senpai, thank you..." Azuma just stared down at her in shock, she knew she'd be thankful but he didn't think to this extent. He was rarely surprised, yet the few times he had been they were related to her in some way. He was tempted to tease her, for the look on her face would be priceless but...

"You're welcome, Kahoko..." Azuma whispered, just loud enough for Kahoko to hear as he too wrapped his arms around her, a little hesitantly at first but forced himself to do it. He was positive this hug was just to show her gratitude, so it was a little disappointing knowing it didn't mean more, but it was the first time she had hugged him so he was going to treasure the moment.

Nami stared at the two of them and couldn't help but take one more photo. The flash didn't seem to distract them, as expected, as they looked as though they were in their own little world, but this was indeed surprising. Kahoko never did answer her question, if she and Azuma really were together. It was hard to tell, for they didn't call each other by their first name but looking at them now... 'Hmm, this definitely needs further investigation,' Nami thought, grinning all the while.

* * *

**Author's Note: **-faints- Oh my god, it's done at last... I can't believe how difficult this chapter was, and it's only the second one for crying out loud! :P I have like, eight versions of this chapter, it was that difficult. I'm not sure if that is normal for everyone else but for me, I don't usually have that many versions for one chapter, maybe three to four at most but not eight! Lol, oh well, I'm going to submit this before I get unsatisfied and do it all again XP

I hope you liked it, I'm sorry that it's so long but trust me; it would have been a lot longer. :P I especially found the whole outfit thing hard to do, trying to describe clothes is hard :P I wish I could draw it or simply show you a link and say, "That's what they're wearing!" But ah well, it educated me a bit and I'm going to have to get used to it as there will be more outfits to describe lol.

I thank everyone that has reviewed so far, I was worried at first that no one would read it as it's not a Len x Kahoko story, so I'm glad there are other Azuma x Kahoko fans out there, even if there is only a small number of us :) Please let me know what you think, and I'll do my best to get the third chapter out as soon as possible! -coughs- More reviews help me update faster -coughs- ;)


	3. Chapter 03

**Picture Perfect**

By NeonFantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. The characters from the anime/manga/game featured in this story do not belong to me, although I wish Yunoki-sama belonged to me, in more ways than one lol XP But no, this is a Azuma x Kahoko story, meaning Kahoko is meant to have him lol. Hanako Kirishima is my own character.

* * *

Chapter 3

It was lunchtime at Seisou Academy and Kahoko was walking around with her lunch in a bit of a daze. She was going to eat lunch outside together with Mio and Nao as it was such a nice day, but the only problem was she had no idea where they were. They had told her where to meet in their previous class, but she only heard bits and pieces of the conversation and had missed that part about where to meet. Kahoko sighed, for this was her own fault but she was too tired to get overly concerned with it. If she walked around enough, she was bound to find them eventually.

"Hino-san!"

Kahoko raised her head, hearing someone call her name. She looked around and noticed it was Nami. She was sitting on a small grassy mound with Shouko and looked to be having lunch together. "Hino-san! Come join us!" Nami called out with her arm waving above her head. Kahoko wondered if she should, as she was to meet with Mio and Nao but since she had no idea where they were, she decided to take Nami up on her offer. She would apologise to her two friends later.

She walked up to them, smiling brightly as she greeted, "Good afternoon, Amou-san, Fuyuumi-chan. Are you sure you don't mind me eating with you?"

"Good afternoon, Kaho-senpai," Shouko greeted with a sweet smile, "I don't mind, after all, it's been a while since we've been able to meet up like this..."

"Yes you're right; since the concours ended we've all been doing our own thing huh?" Kahoko sat down beside Shouko and got her boxed lunch out.

"Have you been well, Kaho-senpai?" Shouko asked.

Kahoko nodded, "Yes, and you, Fuyuumi-chan?"

Shouko nodded as well, "Yes, thank you. I'm glad to hear you are well, as you seem a little tired."

"Oh? It's that obvious huh?" Kahoko rubbed the back of her head and laughed a bit, "Don't worry, I'll try and get more sleep tonight." Kahoko got her chop sticks out and served herself a mouth full of rice. She hadn't noticed earlier but she was incredibly hungry, perhaps food will help give her the energy she needed to get through the rest of the day.

"Tired huh? Did Yunoki-senpai keep you up late?" Nami teased, causing Kahoko to suddenly choke on her food. Shouko went wide eyed as she patted Kahoko on the back, hoping it would help.

When Kahoko finally settled down, she looked at Nami a little worriedly but did her best to look calm as she asked, "W-What do you mean by that, Amou-san?"

"Well, he did take you home after the shoot right? It was just teasing, but I wasn't expecting such a reaction. So, does that mean something really DID happen?" Nami asked with a big grin.

"N-No, of course not," Kahoko replied. Nothing had happened yet anyway, although when she noticed Shouko's curious face, she just realised Nami brought up the modelling session in front of her. If Shouko knew, then did this mean... "Amou-san, does Fuyuumi-chan know about..."

"Relax Hino-san," Nami cut in, "She knows about the modelling but no one else, I promise." She smiled with reassurance but Kahoko doubted if she could really trust her.

"I-I'm sorry, is me knowing an inconvenience?" Shouko asked, feeling very guilty.

"No, of course not, it's fine really." Kahoko smiled, "Just, please keep it to yourself; I don't want Yunoki-senpai's fans or bodyguards finding out..."

Shouko nodded with understanding, although Nami wasn't convinced, "Then why did you accept such a reckless thing? People are going to find out once the magazine is out."

"I-I know, I just want to put it off for as long as possible..." Kahoko sighed.

Nami eyed her curiously, "I don't understand the situation with you and Yunoki-senpai. He had talked to me last night but with what he told me, I'm not convinced."

Kahoko's body tensed at the mention of Azuma talking to her. She remembered what had happened before that which led up to that moment, but that prior situation was one of the most embarrassing things she had ever experienced and one of the reasons she couldn't sleep last night.

FLASHBACK

After various photos had been taken with both Azuma and Hanako in different formal outfits, Hanako finally called it a night. Time had flown by so quickly that when Kahoko noticed what time it was, she realised she was going to be home a lot later than she had promised her mother. This made her panic, for she was going to have to explain why she was so late, but could she really tell her mother the truth?

"Hi-no-san!" Nami called out musically as she eyed the redhead mischievously, "Now that work is finally over, you've got some answering to do."

"A-Answering?" Kahoko asked nervously as she looked around, hoping Azuma was here to help out but he was nowhere in sight and neither was Hanako. She was alone with the school's journalist, and that was not a good thing.

Nami got out her notepad and a pen from her pocket as she watched Kahoko with a hawk-like gaze, "How long have you been dating Yunoki-senpai? Who asked who out first? Why is this being kept secret at school? Does anyone else know about this? Have you kissed? What do you like about Yunoki-senpai? Has he bought you any presents? How many dates have you been on?" The questions rolled out one after another which made Kahoko panic all the more as she had no idea how to respond. She quickly turned and ran out the room, hoping to lose her but Nami pursued as this story was way too good to pass up.

They ran around different areas of the store, almost knocking over mannequins and boxes but when Kahoko got far enough ahead, her mind began working like clockwork to find a suitable place to hide. She remembered then that the change rooms were lockable and if she hid in her own, Nami would have no choice but to leave eventually as she would refuse to come out until she did. This seemed like a good idea, although she could hear Nami calling out for her to stop so this meant she was catching up. With fear pushing her on, Kahoko quickly opened the door to her change room and closed it immediately after herself, making sure to turn the lock so there was no way Nami could get in. Kahoko was puffing from all the running and her feet were killing as she was wearing heels, but she was glad that she got away from Nami. When she turned around however, her face paled while her eyes widened and her jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

Azuma was in the same room as her and was in the middle of undressing, that was until Kahoko barged in on him. He still had his dress pants on, although they were unzipped and unbuttoned and were loosely hanging around his hips while his white shirt was only partially on with his right arm and shoulder inside but the left was completely exposed, meaning half of his upper body was completely naked! His long purple hair was resting over part of his exposed shoulder while his soft, creamy skin seemed to illuminate under the light's reflection. He had a slender figure compared to someone like Ryotaro but while looking delicate, he could probably surprise many people with the amount of strength he possessed and would have no trouble over-powering someone like Kahoko – just like in the nurse's office that time. Recalling this memory, along with the situation she was in now made Kahoko's face bright red, but why was she thinking such things now!?

Azuma just stared at her blankly, not at all expecting to be in a situation like this, "...Were you that anxious to catch me changing, pervert?"

"W-What?" Kahoko stuttered as she tried looking at his face and not his chest, "Y-You're in my change room!"

Azuma tilted his head to the side as he stared at her quizzically, "Does this really look like your change room?" Kahoko blinked; then blinked again as she scanned the room to try and find her belongings but none were in sight, it was all Azuma's things and the clothes he had worn for the shoot.

"W-What did you do to my things?" Kahoko asked as she looked back at him, although she couldn't help but look at his chest every now and then.

Azuma raised an eyebrow at her, "First you barge into my room while I'm changing and now you have the nerve to accuse me of touching your things? You really are an idiot." Kahoko thought back to when she was running in this direction, she had been nervous about Nami catching her that she didn't pay close attention to where she was running but thinking back on it, she had passed a room before entering this one, which was, to her disbelief, her room. Meaning she was indeed in, Azuma's room.

Kahoko brought a hand over her mouth, her face turning a brighter shade of red as she bowed her head in apology, "I-I-I-I'm so sorry Yunoki-senpai! P-Please forgive me! I'll get out right now!"

She turned back to the door and placed her hand on the handle but was startled when Azuma's hand rested over hers, preventing her from turning the knob. His right hand came up to rest against the door, just inches away from Kahoko's head. He had her cornered which Kahoko was all too aware of but dared not turn around, especially with the way he currently looked. "You're sorry huh?" Azuma's left hand started squeezing Kahoko's a bit, "I wonder if you really are..." He suddenly pulled her hand away from the door knob and forced her to turn around so they were now face to face. He noticed her eyes were closed but her face was still as red as her hair which made him smile a bit, "You sure you want to keep your eyes closed in my presence? I won't be held responsible for my actions otherwise."

She opened her eyes suddenly and looked up at him helplessly, thinking she better explain herself before Azuma assumed the worse, "Y-Yunoki-senpai, it's about Amou-san, she is asking questions about um, the lie you told Kirishima-san, as she told Amou-san about us and-" Before she could finish, Azuma brought his index finger over her lips to silence her. He turned his attention to the door and listened in.

"She's coming this way..." He whispered as he leaned in closer to Kahoko, "If you don't want her finding you, then I suggest you keep quiet." Kahoko nodded, for she most definitely didn't want Nami catching them like this, especially since she always had her camera with her. Azuma kept close to her with his gaze resting on the door, Kahoko's gaze however was locked on his chest again. She couldn't help it, with him being so close, it was the only thing she could see unless she closed her eyes, but she wasn't going to do that again. As she looked him over, she noticed he did indeed have a nice body. Like his face, it was flawless and his skin looked so smooth that it was hard not to reach out and touch it. 'W-Wait, what are you thinking?!' Kahoko mentally kicked herself, 'This is not the time to be thinking such dirty thoughts! Stop staring! Stop right now!' But she was still staring, and she couldn't help but continue staring as her gaze began to drift a little lower to where she was now staring at his stomach. Before she looked any lower though, Azuma's fingers cupped under her chin and tilted her head up to his. With their golden eyes locked on one another, Azuma gave her a sensual smile and asked, "Do you like what you see?"

Kahoko had no idea how she was supposed to answer that, not that she could even speak at this moment but Azuma could see the answer clear enough, with her bright red face, and her body slightly trembling with her heart beats near loud enough for him to hear, he smiled and decided to ask another question, "Would you like to see more?" He had to be joking, that was the first thought that came to Kahoko's mind. He was just teasing her again, and she wasn't going to fall for it this time; but why did he look so serious?

Azuma caressed her cheek before backing away slowly, his eyes still locked on hers while her eyes were helpless locked on his. The white shirt he had hanging from one shoulder was now being removed ever so slowly, it's soft fabric caressing over Azuma's creamy skin while more of his upper body was being revealed to her. Kahoko felt on the verge of passing out, he wasn't really going to undress completely, was he? Once the shirt was off, leaving him in nothing but his pants, Azuma tilted his head to the side innocently and brought his hands to his lower garments and asked with a dark, alluring voice, "Would you like to help me take this off?"

That was it; Kahoko could not take any more of this. She would rather throw herself at Azuma's fan-girls and bodyguards and have Nami announce to the world that they were together then be trapped in here and see Azuma naked... Or at least, that's what she was thinking, but why wasn't her body responding?! She needed to get out but her feet were plastered to the floor.

Just then, a knock came to the door which startled Kahoko, causing her to yelp as she quickly placed a hand over her mouth. "Yunoki-senpai, is that you?" Nami's voice asked from behind the door. Kahoko faced the door in shock but kept silent.

"Yes, can I help you Amou-san?" Azuma answered with a gentle, friendly tone, taking this moment to change into his uniform while Kahoko had her back turned.

"Do you know where Hino-san is? She's still got her things in her change room but I can't find her anywhere."

"Ah, is that so?" He smiled to himself, "Maybe she went to the bathroom, perhaps?"

"Oh, I haven't tried there yet! Thanks Yunoki-senpai!" Kahoko heard Nami's retreating steps and felt relief rush over her like a tidal wave. She thought she was caught, she thought her little gasp earlier gave her away. Thank god it didn't, as there was no way she could explain this situation.

"Are you going to get out now? Or were hoping to stay locked in here with me all night?" Azuma asked as Kahoko turned to look at him. Seeing him completely dressed was a surprise to her, as only moments ago he was near naked, but this was good, that meant she didn't see Azuma naked after all! What a relief, yet why did she feel slightly disappointed as well? Kahoko glanced at him, noticing he was staring at her with a bit of impatience so she quickly brought her hand to the door knob, expecting the door to open, but it didn't. Kahoko stared at the door in confusion. She tried turning the knob again but it wouldn't budge. This couldn't be happening; they weren't trapped, were they? Kahoko began to panic as she tried harder to open the door. She couldn't be locked in here with Azuma, she needed to get home as her mother was probably wondering where she was. Not only that; but being locked in a room with him was not a very comforting thought.

Azuma sighed and reached for Kahoko's hand. He grasped it gently, sending a wave of warmth through her body as he removed it from the knob and used his other hand to open it. Kahoko watched as he unlocked the door first, then turned the knob and noticed the door open without any trouble at all – making her feel like a complete idiot. She just kept setting herself up for more teasing, Azuma thought, for there was a lot he could say right now but seeing how embarrassed Kahoko already was, he figured he would let it go as she had endured enough for one night.

Still, this whole situation in itself was a riot, and to think it was all initiated by Kahoko. Even though it was a total accident on her part, it was something he never saw coming. And to think, if he hadn't forgotten to lock the door, this would never have happened. Azuma smiled, then chuckled, then suddenly burst out laughing. No moment was ever dull with Kahoko; he loved this; every moment with her was always so entertaining. Kahoko sighed, for she half expected this type of reaction but was too exhausted to say anything. Azuma noticed then that he and Kahoko were still holding hands. Usually Kahoko would have reacted in some way but he noticed she seemed a little tired. Wanting to snap her out of it a bit, he raised her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss, making Kahoko blushed as she looked up at him quizzically.

"Get changed, I will talk to Amou-san while I wait for you, then I'll take you home." He smiled as he let go of her hand and headed out the room. This would be his thanks to her for keeping him so amused.

Kahoko watched him go, then when she was certain he was gone, her legs gave out as she collapsed to the ground, giving into her embarrassment with everything that's happened. She brought her hands over her cheeks, feeling how warm they were while her heart was racing. There was something seriously wrong with her, for she could barely act normal around Azuma anymore. He made her feel things which she had never felt before, while half her brain seemed to shut down whenever he was concerned. She had to pull herself together, for she knew this was all a game to him and if she took it too seriously she was going to end up hurt by the end of it.

END OF FLASHBACK

Kahoko felt herself blushing as she recalled that moment, but shook her head as she looked at Nami, "What did Yunoki-senpai tell you?"

"He basically said that you were both pretending to be together just for the shoot. He said it would benefit Kirishima-san in the end so he swore me to secrecy, but I'm not buying it." Nami leaned forward, "There is something else going on behind the scenes and I'm going to find out. I can tell you were dragged into this, Hino-san, but I think Yunoki-senpai has a hidden agenda of his own. It's just a hunch though." Kahoko was surprised by Nami's words; she thought she would buy into whatever he said as no one ever seemed to doubt his words. Then again, Kahoko remembered after the first concours performance that Nami herself said she was suspicious of Azuma's perfect behaviour, for it didn't seem normal. She was probably the only person in school to question that about him, for everyone else was fooled while Kahoko had the exclusive pleasure to know it was all a front, and not by choice either. But why did he show that side of himself to her in the first place? Why didn't he act himself around someone like Kazuki who he had known since the beginning of high school?

"Yunoki-senpai is very kind and friendly, Amou-san," Shouko said, "Please don't be so suspicious of him..."

"Oh not you too, Fuyuumi-san," Nami smiled with reassurance, "Don't worry, I'm not saying he's a bad person or anything, I just think he's not being totally honest about his feelings that's all." She glanced at Kahoko who simply stared back quizzically.

"So so, do tell, what did happen when Yunoki-senpai took you home?" Nami asked with a wide grin, "And don't worry, I won't say a word. Come on, I bet Fuyuumi-san wants to know too!"

"O-Only if Kaho-senpai is comfortable with it..." Shouko murmured.

Kahoko laughed nervously and waved her hands, "U-Um, it was nothing really; he just got to meet my mother and sister; that's all." There was more to it than that but she didn't feel comfortable sharing anything else, for this was another thing that kept her up all night and worried her even now.

FLASHBACK

Kahoko approached the front door of her home hesitantly, she was a lot later than she had promised and just knew her mother wasn't going to be impressed. She slowly opened the door and before she could even take a step inside, her mother and older sister were standing right by the entrance, like they had been waiting there all this time for her.

"There you are; where have you been Kahoko?" Her mother had her arms folded, "Do you realise what time it is?"

"I-I'm really sorry!" Kahoko bowed her head, feeling guilty about making her family worry so much.

"What were you doing? I want an explanation right... this...moment..." Her mother trailed off as she looked over Kahoko's shoulder with a blank expression over her face. Kahoko looked up at her and noticed even her sister was staring at, whatever it was that her mother was staring at. When she turned her head, Kahoko nearly jumped out of her skin when she noticed it was Azuma. What was he doing here?! Why hadn't he left like he was supposed to?!

"Good evening, my name is Azuma Yunoki; I'm a third year music student at Seisou Academy." He placed a hand over his chest and bowed low in respect to Kahoko's mother and sister. When he looked back up, he gave them a kind yet charming smile and went on, "I sincerely apologise for Hino-san's late return home. I had requested her assistance with some duties for the student council. She is extremely helpful and kind for giving up her free time to help us out. Unfortunately there is still a lot to be done but with Hino-san's help, I feel we will be able to get through it that much faster." He bowed again, "I took it upon myself to return her home safely, for it is my fault that she was out so late, I am truly sorry and wish that if you need to punish someone, that it be me."

Kahoko stared at him blankly, wondering how he could make up such lies on the spot and do it so beautifully. He truly was the master of deception, but it wasn't going to work, her mother could see through such lies and would know Kahoko wasn't such an honour student.

"Oh, Yunoki-san, thank you so much for bringing her home safely," her mother replied kindly, "If she is doing such wonderful things at the school then, it's fine really, I'm glad she's doing something productive, and for a good cause too."

'... What?' Kahoko turned to her mother in shock.

"We should do something to repay him for his kindness mother," Kahoko's sister said eagerly.

"Oh yes, you're right, please come in for some tea." Her mother offered.

"Thank you but I couldn't possibly at such a late hour," Azuma smiled gratefully, "Perhaps next time?"

"Of course, please visit us again."

Kahoko watched her sister and mother bow their heads to Azuma and couldn't help but stare at them dumbfounded. They were under his spell, like everyone else she knew. Then again, he got her out of trouble which she was thankful for. Kahoko glanced at him and noticed him looking back at her with a satisfied look on his face, all too aware of his capabilities.

After a few more words were exchanged, Azuma finally excused himself and gave them a warm farewell before heading back to his car where it drove off into the night. Kahoko's mother and sister watched after him, like Hanako's assistants did when they first entered her store. When Kahoko walked inside, thankful that she could finally relax, her mother suddenly took her by the shoulders and said, "Kahoko, you need to invite him here for dinner."

"E-Eh? Why?"

"What do you mean why? He took the time to take you home and will probably do so again if you are out late again. We need to show our gratitude," her mother explained. Kahoko opened her mouth to protest but her mother narrowed her eyes on her, showing she was not going to accept no for answer, "You WILL invite him here for dinner, and it WILL be tomorrow."

END OF FLASHBACK

Kahoko had never been so scared of her mother till that moment, although she was also annoyed at her behaviour, for there was more to this dinner than simply showing their 'gratitude'. She hadn't had the opportunity to ask Azuma about it yet, but she hoped he would decline as it was too short notice. Then again, her mother is aware that they are from two different departments and year levels, if she didn't see him at all then she couldn't be at fault for that right?

It was then that she noticed Keiichi walking by in a bit of a daze. He had his lunch in his hands, although he looked like he was going to pass out any moment. Kahoko smiled, for she hadn't seen Keiichi in a while and called out to him, "Shimizu-kun! Would you like to have lunch with us?"

He continued walking as he didn't hear her call him. Nami noticed this and laughed, "He's always so tired isn't he?"

"That's okay, I'll go get him," Kahoko said as she got up from the grass and ran over to him, "Shimizu-kun! Wait!" He continued walking but since he was walking at such a slow pace, Kahoko caught up to him with no trouble. She reached out for his shoulder and grabbed onto it, preventing him from walking any further. He looked at her, then blinked, then stared for a while, blinked again, then said, "Oh... Kaho-senpai... Good afternoon."

Kahoko laughed a little, finding this typical Keiichi behaviour, "Good afternoon Shimizu-kun, I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with us."

"Lunch... With you...?" He paused for a while, as though thinking on it, then suddenly gave her a small smile, "Yes... I'd like that." Kahoko blushed at little at his smile, for it was so cute that he looked like an angel but she snapped back to reality and took his hand as she guided him back to the spot where she was having lunch with Nami and Shouko. Keiichi let her guide him, although unknown to her, his gaze rested on her hand around his for a while, then went up to stare at her face, as though fascinated by it but in reality, drawn to it.

When Keiichi seated himself, they all began eating together which Kahoko found quite enjoyable, and to make things even better she saw Ryotaro nearby.

"Tsuchiura-kun!" Kahoko called out as she waved to him, getting his attention right away.

"Hey, Hino," Ryotaro smiled as he walked over. "You all eating lunch together?"

"Yes, would you like to join us?" Kahoko smiled at him.

"You sure?" He looked to Shouko and Nami who nodded while Keiichi didn't seem to notice he was even there. "Alright, I'll take you up on your offer, thanks." Ryotaro sat down with them and he too began eating.

"Hey Yunoki," Kazuki got Azuma's attention as he pointed to Kahoko's group, "Want to have lunch with them? It's been a while since we've all been together as a group."

"Everyone's together?" Azuma glanced in that direction. Noticing Kahoko with Keiichi and Ryotaro made his eyebrow twitch with annoyance but he looked to his energetic friend kindly and said, "Sure, sounds like fun."

"Ah, hey everyone!" Kazuki called out, grabbing their attention as he waved excitedly, "Can we eat with you guys too; you look like you're having a lot of fun over there!"

"Of course, everyone's welcome!" Nami called out to him while Kahoko waved at Kazuki happily, although when she noticed Azuma, the memories of last night made her face suddenly turn red as she lowered her hand.

"Kaho-senpai? Are you alright?" Shouko asked, noticing her red face.

"I-I'm fine, haha!" Kahoko gave out a little laugh to reassure her.

When Kazuki and Azuma approached them, Kahoko was glad that she was sitting next to Keiichi and Shouko, as she didn't think she could keep a lid on her nerves if she were to sit next to Azuma. When she watched Kazuki and Azuma sit down however, she noticed Azuma was sitting directly opposite her. They exchanged glances briefly which made Kahoko go red again but she quickly averted her gaze. Perhaps sitting next to him would have better; at least she wouldn't have to see him constantly unless she was looking in his general direction. He had to of done that on purpose, and he did too as he couldn't help but smile.

"Wow it's been ages since we last got together!" Kazuki said to everyone, smiling brightly.

"Yes it has been a while," Azuma added as he looked around briefly, "Although I don't see Tsukimori-kun anywhere."

"Humph, he's probably practicing the violin somewhere on his own as usual," Ryotaro commented.

"He shouldn't need to practice so much now that the concours are over," Nami pondered, "Have you seen him at all, Shimizu-kun?"

Keiichi was about to give him-self a mouth full of rice but slowly looked up when he heard he was being talked to, "No... I haven't..." When he looked up however, his chopsticks knocked against the bottom of his chin where he got some rice stuck to his skin. He didn't seem to feel it though as he continued eating peacefully.

"Oh Shimizu-kun," Kahoko had noticed the rice on his chin, "You've got some food there." She pointed to the spot on his face but Keiichi looked at her in confusion, not certain what she was talking about. Kahoko sighed but smiled at his cluelessness and brought her hand up to his face. With her index finger, she scrapped away the bits of rice on his chin and held it up for him to see, "See? You had this on your face."

Keiichi stared at her finger, "Oh... Thank you..." Kahoko was about to get her handkerchief to wipe off the rice but was surprised when Keiichi suddenly took her hand by the wrist. Kahoko blinked in confusion while Keiichi examined her finger. What happened next was totally unexpected, for Keiichi brought her finger to his mouth to suck off the rice. Kahoko tensed up with shock while her eyes widened and her face went red. The feel of his moist mouth and hot wet tongue against her finger sent unexpected chills through her body as she felt him lick and suck gently, more than what was required. Nami and Shouko went wide eyed while Kazuki and Ryotaro not only went wide eyed but gapped as well. Azuma was shocked too, but while surprised, he looked ready to kill someone, particularly the young cello player. Lucky no one was looking at him, for this was one of the rare moments where he couldn't keep his calm demeanour.

Keiichi eventually removed Kahoko's finger from his mouth and savoured the taste for a moment before saying, "My rice... tastes nicer... why is that...?"

"S-Shimizu-kun, was that really necessary?" Ryotaro asked with irritation.

Keiichi didn't answer, for he was still thinking about Kahoko's taste.

Kazuki just stared at Keiichi with envy, "So lucky..."

Just then, there was this sudden snap which came from Azuma. Everyone turned their attention to him and noticed his chopsticks had snapped in his hand, and they weren't the cheap wooden type either which was strange in itself. Azuma forced himself to smile innocently as he looked his chop sticks over, "That's strange; how did this happen?" Of course, he had broken them out of sheer rage as he had to vent that anger towards Keiichi somehow. He was surprised by how emotional he was getting, for that seemed typical of Keiichi as he was always so out of it, but Azuma couldn't help but feel that was no accident.

"Err; did you want to borrow my chop sticks?" Kazuki asked as he held them out, "I've already finished my lunch."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wow, never have I finished a chapter so quickly, and with just one version, I really am shocked lol. I guess with all my struggles with the last chapter, my brain decided to work with me this time. Funny, I only had a vague idea of what to do with this chapter too, cool. :P Why can't writing always be this easy!? Ah well, hope you liked it. I don't think Azuma had any interesting lines this time lol, its hard thinking of really good ones, considering I never use them and have never had anyone use them on me lol -envies Kahoko very much- But yeah, the power of the imagination, woo-hoo :P

Anyway, I'm going to make it a plan to update this story every week, so please don't expect the next chapter in like, one or two days like this one as I work five days a week and only generally have the weekend to work on this properly. This chapter was an exception though, as I didn't expect to finish it so fast, so I hope everyone is pleased with it.

Let me know what you thought! See you in Chapter 4! :D


	4. Chapter 04

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. Azuma is number one, and Kahoko I wish I was you! This is an Azuma x Kahoko story.

* * *

Chapter 4

School was over for the day and while students were either heading home or attending after school clubs, Kahoko was running frantically to the music department, hoping to find Azuma before he left the school premises. She had completely forgotten about inviting him over for dinner, as her mind went temporarily blank with Keiichi's actions at lunch. Recalling the way his mouth enclosed around her finger as he sucked and licked at it gently sent a sudden jolt of electricity through her body, causing her to nearly fall over. Putting aside what happened with Keiichi, the rest of their lunch break went by reasonably quick but it was great fun. Seeing everyone laugh, joke around and talk about anything and everything brought a smile to Kahoko's face - of course Kazuki and Nami did most of the talking as they were very talkative and energetic by nature but everyone got along reasonably well, which was good as everyone's personalities were vastly different from one another.

With what happened with Keiichi, Kahoko would watch Azuma from the corner of her eye to see how he reacted to the whole situation. She wasn't sure why, but she was strangely curious to see what he thought, if he was upset or angry but it was the total opposite. He was calm and collected, would smile sweetly and talk to everyone as if nothing had happened. Ryotaro made it a mission of his to walk her to the nearest bathroom and made her clean her hand as if it had been infected. Kazuki went to the school's cafeteria to get more food, as he was still apparently hungry but every few mouthfuls, he would ask Kahoko if he had any food on his face, as if she would help him like she did with Keiichi. Ryotaro would tell him off as it wasn't half obvious what he was doing but it wasn't like he was unaffected by it either. Nami found this very amusing and would tease Kahoko about it but she was totally clueless about the way they were behaving. It was Azuma who she was more concerned with than anyone else.

As Kahoko approached the music department, she noticed Kazuki exiting the building and quickly got his attention, "Hihara-senpai!" She called out as she waved a hand over her head.

"Ah, Kaho-chan!" Kazuki smiled brightly as he waved back, feeling very excited to see her here as he hoped she came to see him personally.

Kahoko ran over to him then slumped in exhaustion from that long run, trying to catch her breath all the while. Kazuki noticed this and decided to get his bottle of water out from his bag, thinking it might help. He hesitated at first, as he realised her drinking from the same bottle would mean an, indirect kiss. His face turned red at the thought but he tried dismissing it as he should be more concerned with helping her. Holding out his drink, he smiled and said, "Here, this may help."

Kahoko stood upright after she felt she had caught her breath. She smiled at Kazuki but shook her head at his offer, "Thank you Hihara-senpai but I was wondering if Yunoki-senpai was still here."

"Eh? Yunoki?" Kazuki blinked at her quizzically, "Why do you need to see him?"

"Um," Kahoko laughed nervously, "It's, complicated... ha-ha..."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow at her, feeling slightly envious of Azuma but decided to respect Kahoko's privacy on the matter, "He's still here; he told me he wanted to play his flute for a while so he's in one of the practice rooms."

Kahoko was relieved, for that meant she wouldn't upset her mother who was probably putting her heart and soul into preparing dinner tonight. She hoped she wouldn't over do it, but her mother acted strangely out of character when she met Azuma and couldn't help but grow a little concerned. Still, after saying her goodbyes with Kazuki she entered the building and started heading to the practice rooms. When she entered the area, she checked the sign-in sheet to see which room Azuma was in. It looked to be the last room on her left. As she walked by a few rooms, Kahoko glanced through the skinny vertical windows on the doors to see if she recognised anyone. To her surprise, she did see someone she knew, and it happened to be Len. Peering through the window, she noticed him playing his violin with his score sheets before him on a stand. His back was to her, but his body language showed the amount of concentration and care he was putting into the song he was playing, whatever it was as she couldn't hear it clearly through the sound proof walls. As much as she would have liked to talk to him, she knew he never liked being disturbed during practice so she walked on; hoping she might be able to talk to him after she saw Azuma.

When she approached the room Azuma was in, she peered through the window on the door and noticed him staring at something intently. When she followed his gaze, she noticed it was the piano. He had his golden flute in one hand but reached out with the other to touch the surface of the large instrument. His gaze softened as his fingers trailed over the piano's cover where the keys lay underneath. Kahoko watched him with intrigue, not aware that he had an interest in the piano. Then again, he was a music student so it seemed natural that some students could play more than one instrument, like Shouko with the clarinet and the piano. Azuma looked tempted to lift the cover off the piano's keys but in the end resisted such urges and turned his back on it. Walking up to the window, Azuma opened it and allowed a cool gentle breeze to fill the room as it brushed through his long purple locks. He brought the flute to his lips and closed his eyes, savouring the feel of the wind against his skin before he started to play. The whole scene looked so serene and picturesque that Kahoko's breath stilled while her eyes glazed over in awe. Was there ever a moment where Azuma didn't look so beautiful and appealing?

As if being drawn by him, Kahoko slowly opened the door and entered the room, forgetting to knock as she entered. As she listened to the song he played, she realised it was 'Adagio' by Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni, the song which Azuma played on the rooftop that day when he first revealed his 'dark' personality. When he played it at that time, he seemed troubled by something as he did now. Kahoko continued listening to his performance, feeling his song pierce her heart as though she could feel his own pain.

As the song died off, showing the performance was over; Azuma slowly lowered his flute and opened his eyes as his golden gaze lingered over the orange coloured sky. It was then that he suddenly spoke up, as though sensing Kahoko had been there all this time and said, "Are you following me around now, Hino? If I knew you were coming, I would have pulled up a chair for you, although I can't say I approve of you barging in without at least knocking first." There was no reply which Azuma found out of character where Kahoko was concerned. He turned his head to look at her, noticing then the tears which were cascading down her face. He stared at her in disbelief, not expecting to see her like this and wondered why she was being so emotional.

Kahoko shook her head and tried getting a hold of herself, "I-I'm sorry, it was your song... I'm just... I feel..."

Azuma walked up to her and got out from his pocket a white handkerchief which had golden embroidery along the edges of the fabric. He brought it up to her face and dabbed away at the tears building under her eyelids before stroking the handkerchief gently down each cheek, following the tears' path so her face would be dry and free of tears. Each dab and stroke was feathery soft; Kahoko couldn't help but savour each touch as it was soothing and comforting. The moment didn't last long, much to Kahoko's disappointment as she felt Azuma's hand pull away.

"So, you were upset over the song only?" Azuma asked as he pocketed his handkerchief.

Kahoko looked up at him and nodded slowly, although she wasn't sure what he meant by 'only', "It's a beautiful but sad song, as I have said once before, but, it's sadder than it was the first time I heard you play it." She closed her eyes as she played the melody through her mind again, having memorized its tune, "It's as though, the song is reflecting your emotions and I was wondering if maybe, you were upset over something..."

"Well now, that's a pretty vague assumption," Azuma replied as Kahoko opened her eyes to look at him, "The song itself was written to be depressing, what makes you think I really am upset?"

"It's true that the composer themselves would portray a certain message in their songs," Kahoko answered, "Although I think any song can be interpreted a different way, it all depends on what the musician is feeling when they play it."

"My, you figured that out all by yourself?" Azuma stated sarcastically, "With the way you spoke just now, speaking so 'matter-of-fact' with such depth and insight, it makes me wonder how you can be so dense and stupid at the same time." He turned his head away in frustration while Kahoko watched him with concern. She couldn't deny that his words hurt, but she felt there was more behind them than a simple insult. Azuma didn't deny that he wasn't upset, and the way he spoke, he made it sound as though, she was at fault... Kahoko bit her lower lip as she tried figuring out what she had done to upset him so, but nothing came to mind. She wanted to ask but resisted the urge to, for she didn't want to make things any worse by not knowing what she had done. Perhaps she could do something to make it up to him instead...

"U-Um, Y-Yunoki-senpai, are you, free tonight?" Kahoko asked as she noticed Azuma's eyes widen before he looked at her quizzically. She tried replaying what she just said in her mind, and realised that the wording could have been a little better, as it almost sounded like she was asking him on a... date, Kahoko's eyes widened in shock while her cheeks flushed red at the thought. She quickly tried explaining herself, "T-That is, um, i-if you are... um, if you would like to have d-dinner with me and m-my family, y-you are more than w-welcome..." She noticed his expression change then, for he looked both intrigued and suspicious of her invitation. Kahoko averted her gaze, no longer having the nerve to look him in the eye. This request was originally from her mother but when she asked, she felt as though part of her was inviting him herself.

"Will you be cooking?" Azuma asked with curiosity.

"Um, probably not haha, my mum is the one cooking," Kahoko answered as she rubbed the back of her head, feeling her nerves subsiding a little.

"Ah, so your mother is inviting me," Azuma suspected. There was a hint of disappointment in his tone which made Kahoko stare at him in confusion. He merely shook his head and sighed at her naivety but looked at her with a sweet, gentle smile. Whether the invitation came from her or her mother, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he had an exclusive invite, and he was going to visit Kahoko's home for the first time. He had seen it often enough when he would take her home, but he had never been inside. It will be nice, and different, that much was certain.

Kahoko noticed he was staring at her and wasn't sure why. That smile was already enough to put her on edge but those eyes, those lustrous golden eyes which seemed to see right through her began to make her heart race. She turned her head away again, feeling too embarrassed to see him with such a look, but as she did, her eyes rested on the piano which roused a question she had wanted to ask Azuma, it something she had observed when she was watching him from outside the room.

"Do you like the piano, Yunoki-senpai?"

Azuma was caught off guard by that sudden, out of the blue question. He couldn't suppress the shock which was written all over his face while his fingers twitched against his flute with unease. This was only momentary though; he allowed his calm demeanour to kick in as to not bring any suspicion on himself as he answered, "It's... a fine instrument..." When he heard himself say this, he noticed the strain in his tone and wanted to kick himself for sounding so fake. Of all things for her to ask, what brought up the piano? He was always so careful to hide his true feelings and desires, and playing the piano was something he had buried deep within his heart, yet Kahoko mentioning it stirred something within himself which he wasn't comfortable with.

Kahoko didn't seem to notice how affected Azuma was by this and went on, "Yes, it is a beautiful instrument. Tsuchiura-kun and Tsukimori-kun's mother play it so well. I was even surprised that Fuyuumi-chan could play it, but then again I guess a lot music students would specialise in more than one instrument." She smiled, "Can you play it, Yunoki-senpai?"

Kahoko was treading on fine ice, and she didn't even realise it. Azuma's grip tightened on his flute as he tried retaining his composure. She was just asking a simple, innocent question, yet he could barely answer her without feeling as though he would break down. Why was that though? It wasn't like this was the first time he had talked about the piano, but was it because she was asking him on a personal level that it was affecting him so? Or was it because it was 'her' asking?

"I've played it once or twice," Azuma put simply, his tone not wavering this time, "But why the sudden curiosity?"

"Oh, it was the way I saw you looking at it earlier." Kahoko explained, "You were staring at it with such longing, as though you really wanted to play it, but then you turned away as though something was holding you back. Did something happen?"

There was a long pause where Azuma did nothing but stare at her speechless; then without warning suddenly burst into laughter. He couldn't help it, he couldn't believe someone like Kahoko would make such assumptions and actually be correct. He was surprised by how observant she was, and yet, she didn't notice how irritated he was with both her and Keiichi at lunch. Why couldn't she be more perceptive about the things that mattered? The piano was his past; his desire to play it has been buried and will never resurface, but this wasn't something he felt like sharing, not right now away.

But putting that aside, he realised that he still had yet to punish Kahoko for what happened at lunch. He knew it was mainly Keiichi's fault but he wasn't entirely to blame. If Kahoko hadn't reached out and touched him in the first place, that finger incident wouldn't have happened. That thought brought an end to Azuma's laughter. He then looked at Kahoko with a sweet, innocent smile plastered on his face as he gestured for her to come closer.

Kahoko noticed this and shook her head, knowing right away not to trust him. He may look harmless but she knew he was up to something and wasn't going to fall for it, not this time, "Um, I'm sorry if I asked too many questions," Kahoko started, "I'll respect your privacy and not ask anything further about the piano."

"Come here," Azuma ordered, dismissing what she had said while gesturing for her to come to him again.

Kahoko took a step back, "W-Well, I guess I've interrupted your practice long enough..." She took another step back and noticed his eyes narrow on her then. She wasn't doing anything wrong; he wasn't the boss of her and was not going to obey him like some dog. Turning away, she went to approach the door but was stopped short when a pair of arms suddenly locked around her body. Kahoko gasped as she felt herself pulled back with her body now against Azuma's. She struggled against his hold but it was useless, her arms were bound by his own while his strength overpowered hers.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Azuma asked innocently as he rested his chin on the crook of her neck, "I haven't given you my answer yet."

Kahoko's cheeks flushed as she felt her uneasiness grow with the close contact. She tried again to get her arms free but to no avail. "C-Can you let go of me, Yunoki-senpai?" Kahoko begged helplessly.

"You forgot to say please... Kahoko," Azuma murmured as he brought his lips to her ear then. He breathed against it softly, causing her to shiver unexpectedly as she tried turning her head away. He smiled at her reaction and whispered ever so sensuously, "Tell your mother, that I accept her invitation, and that I'm looking forward to it." Those words echoed in Kahoko's mind, but while she couldn't comprehend what he was saying; the tone of his voice itself sounded so heavenly that she felt she would fall under hypnoses from it. Noticing how distracted she was, Azuma smiled wickedly as he decided to take this another step further.

His lips slowly locked onto Kahoko's earlobe as he began to nibble and suck at it gently. The instant she felt his lips, Kahoko froze as the little nerves in her ear sent currents of electricity through her body. Her skin began to tingle with delight while waves of pleasure swept over her continuously, these feelings amplifying by the second. Her heart was beating hard and fast against her chest while her legs began to grow weak from Azuma's torture. She wanted him to stop, but no words could come out of her mouth. She was barely managing to breathe; her breath came out in short gasps as she felt ready to pass out.

As though sensing her distress, Azuma decided to stop at this point and removed his lips from her earlobe. He still had her within his embrace, as he felt she wouldn't be able to stand on her own right away. He let out a little chuckle as he asked, "So, you thought twice about me letting you go?"

Kahoko didn't say a word, as she was still trying to catch her breath and calm her rapidly beating heart.

"Well, can't say I blame you," Azuma went on, "I guess so long as it's enjoyable, it doesn't matter who does it, right?"

Kahoko turned her head to look at him, both in anger and shock, "How can you say that, Yunoki-senpai?!"

"Am I wrong? I certainly hope I am..." He turned her around and tilted her head up to his so she could see the seriousness in his expression and tone, "...because if you let someone else take advantage of you again..." The thought made Azuma's blood boil, as he found himself thinking about Keiichi again. He found he couldn't finish his sentence then, as he didn't want to think about Kahoko being with someone else.

"...Yunoki-senpai?" Kahoko stared up at him in confusion. She had no idea what he was talking about, especially when he mentioned 'again' as the only person she knew that took advantage of her was Azuma himself.

"You better go," Azuma said as he released his hold on her and turned away unexpectedly, "Otherwise I might take it a step further..." He looked back at her and gave her a sweet, suggestive smile which Kahoko took as her queue to leave. Knowing what Azuma was capable of, Kahoko didn't think she could endure another round of playful teasing, as it may not be her ear this time around. Bowing her head in farewell, Kahoko rushed out the door in case Azuma was about to change his mind. He couldn't help but laugh as he watched her go, although when his gaze rested on the piano his mood began to darken again. It was strange, feeling so emotional over a mere instrument again; he thought he had put this behind him, perhaps not as much as he had hoped. Still, he had his flute and that was enough for him, it served its purpose as he was able to pursue music with it and did enjoy playing it overall.

'_You were staring at it with such longing, as though you really wanted to play it, but then you turned away as though something was holding you back. Did something happen?'_

"Yes, something did happen..." Azuma said out loud, recalling Kahoko's unanswered question, "I was born a third son..."

Meanwhile, Kahoko's mind was spinning as she ran past the other practice rooms. Her legs were still weak from earlier, feeling as though she would collapse with each step but she willed herself on. Her simple request to have Azuma over for dinner turned out being more eventful than she had expected. The first thing had been learning something new about him – that he liked the piano and had possibly played it more than he was letting on. Then there was the ear incident, the thought turning her ear turn red as she could still feel Azuma's lips lingering there and then there were his vague words about being taken advantage of, not to mention being 'only' being upset over his song. What was he referring to exactly? If only he could be more straightforward then she may understand him better. Still, whatever it was about, she hoped it didn't trouble him too much.

'Now, about dinner tonight...' She began pondering over what would be served. She was leaving it up to her mother but she wondered if she should make something too. After all, he did sound a little disappointed that she wasn't going to cook, but then again, he wouldn't take it the wrong way would he? Like assuming she harboured special feelings for him if she did cook for him, right? Or was it just her thinking too deeply about it? It was nothing to get worked up about, yet she felt herself getting nervous about it anyway. 'Oh no, I have no idea what he likes to eat...' Kahoko realised, 'What if he doesn't like what we make? What if he's allergic to something?' She forgot to ask him these questions, and wondered if maybe she should go back and ask.

While thinking this over, Len was exiting the room he was practicing in. He had his violin case in hand while under his armpit a folder of score sheets he was practising from. He went to close the door, unaware of Kahoko approaching him while Kahoko herself wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Before they knew it, Kahoko collided into him, causing Len to drop his folder as sheets of paper scattered across the floor. The impact sent Kahoko to the ground while Len fell back against the door, which was thankfully closed or else he would have been on the ground too. He looked to the person who had ran into him and was about to give them a piece of his mind until he recognised who it was.

"H-Hino-san?" He exclaimed with shock as he looked her over with concern, wondering if she was alright but didn't have the nerve to ask.

Kahoko looked up at Len slowly, her face a little flushed as she smiled sheepishly, "I'm so sorry, Tsukimori-kun. Let me clean this up for you." She sat up on her knees and began picking up the random pieces of paper. Len watched her for a moment, then sighed before he kneeled down to help. There was one sheet of paper left to pickup and both Kahoko and Len reached out for it at the same time. They were both so absorbed in their own thoughts that they didn't notice this until their hands made contact. They both pulled back quickly as they stared at one another in shock. A brief moment had passed before both of them realised they still needed to pick up that last piece of paper. Funny enough, they both reached for it at the same time again and both stopped when they took note of the other's actions. Len quickly snatched the paper off the ground then, finding this little game both troublesome and somewhat embarrassing.

He got up from the ground and placed the bundle of paper in his folder before offering his hand to Kahoko. She was a little surprised by this but accepted his hand gratefully. As she got to her feet however, her knees suddenly buckled and she found herself falling forward again, this time against Len's chest which made him blush with surprise.

"H-Hino-san? What is wrong with you?" Len stuttered as he stood as stiff as a board, "You should pay more attention to what you're doing."

"S-Sorry," Kahoko replied as she quickly backed away, unable to hide her embarrassment. They both stood silent for a while, uncertain of what to say to one another. Kahoko tried breaking the silence as she asked, "How are your practices going?"

"Fine," Len put simply, "And yours? You aren't neglecting practice just because the concours are over are you?"

"No, I'm still practising," Kahoko answered, "I don't get to practice as much as I would like but I could never stop playing, I love the violin too much to do that."

Len smiled at those words, "That's good."

"By the way, Tsukimori-kun..." Kahoko couldn't believe she was going to ask this but felt it was worth a shot, "Do you, by any chance, know what foods Yunoki-senpai likes?"

Len looked at her quizzically then, "Why do you need to know something like that?"

Kahoko laughed nervously, "It's, hard to explain... ha-ha... If you don't know, then that's okay, I know it was a pretty random thing to ask." She was about to excuse herself as she needed to get home as soon as possible but was cut short when Len suddenly answered.

"He's, not very picky with that sort of thing. Apparently he likes most traditional Japanese foods..." He trailed off then, as he felt he had answered her question well enough, but when Kahoko made no reply, he looked at her and noticed her staring at him in shock.

"...Don't misunderstand, girls in class talk about Yunoki-senpai all the time, and I just happened to overhear that bit of information, that's all." It was the truth too; girls would drive him insane in class as it was like they had no life outside of worshipping the long haired upperclassman. As much as he would try to ignore it, it was hard not to overhear some things, as they would make such a big deal about him. Kahoko was probably the only girl he knew that didn't like Azuma in such a way, which he was thankful for. 'T-Thankful?' Len thought, surprising himself with his own thoughts.

"Oh wow, that is really helpful Tsukimori-kun!" Kahoko exclaimed happily, "Thank you, and take care getting home okay? I need to get going but let's catch up soon alright?" She waved and started running off with a bright smile on her face. Hopefully her mother hadn't started cooking yet as she wanted her to make the right types of food. Len watched her go, wondering why such information pleased her so, but unknown to him, Azuma had been watching their exchange from his own room. He couldn't hear what they were saying, although he wondered why Len was staring after her even after she had disappeared from sight.

* * *

Dinner had almost finished being prepared and Kahoko was busy making something too. While her mother wanted to take care of their meals, Kahoko thought she would make desserts. It was hard to tell what Azuma would like so she hoped she made the right choice. She was preparing a traditional Japanese dessert called 'Anmitsu' which included kanten jelly, a variety of fruits and boiled sweet azuki beans, topped with sugary lemon syrup. She had never made this before, and was even surprised by how difficult it was but with some guidance from her mother, it turned out well in the end. It was a little sweet but not too much, plus it had fruits so it was also good for you on a certain level. Kahoko smiled at her efforts, hoping she had covered all bases and hoped it would be something he would enjoy.

"I'm sure he will like it Kahoko," her mother reassured, sensing her concern as Kahoko put the desserts in the fridge, "I think it's rather nice that you wanted to make something especially for him, and I think he'll appreciate it even more because of it."

"I-It's not like that," Kahoko explained, getting a little embarrassed from her mother's words, "I prepared this for everyone, as I felt a little guilty leaving everything to you..."

Her mother merely smiled while Kahoko felt herself blush, "I-I'm going to go change." When she walked off, her mother couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's behaviour.

When Kahoko got to her room, she began to panic when she couldn't find something she wanted to wear. After tossing a few outfits onto her bed, Kahoko slumped with disappointment and wished she had Lili to help her. Or perhaps Hanako as she had such beautiful outfits at her store. But then again, she wondered why she was panicking so much over this. This wasn't supposed to be any different from the usual dinners she shared with her family; the only difference was that Azuma was going to be there but... 'Yeah, he's going to be there, that's why this isn't going to be a usual dinner.' Kahoko thought.

"Kahoko, you okay in there?" Her sister walked into her room, noticing the clothes scattered everywhere, "Ah, trying to 'dress to impress' huh?" She gave her a wide grin.

"N-No! I just wanted to change, that's all!" Kahoko said, although she didn't sound very sure of herself. Her sister smiled and looked over the clothes in her wardrobe, thinking she would offer some assistance to her younger sister.

"Ah, this is nice." Her sister pulled out a dress which Kahoko went wide eyed at the second she saw it. It was the outfit Azuma bought her when she was posing as his lover.

"NOOO! No I can't wear that!" Kahoko gasped as she reached out for it but her sister pulled the dress away from her grasp.

"Why not? It's very pretty; the colours would suit you well." She smiled, "I'm sure Yunoki-san will like it." Yeah, Kahoko was sure he would, he picked it out for her after all, which was why she was NOT going to wear it!

Meanwhile, Kahoko's mother had just finished preparing the table when she heard the door bell ring. She approached the door and opened it to see who it was. It was Azuma as she had expected but her breath stilled when she noticed how he was dressed. He was wearing a white turtle necked shirt with a grey jacket and black pants while his hair was tied in a loose ponytail which sat comfortably over his left shoulder. Kahoko's mother stared at him in awe as he looked so handsome and refined; she began to feel a little self-conscious in the clothes she was wearing, wondering if she should have changed like Kahoko.

"Good evening, I hope I didn't come too early," Azuma greeted with his gentle, princely charm.

Kahoko's mother snapped out of the daze she was in and smiled up at Azuma, "W-Welcome, Yunoki-san, you have very good timing as I had just finished setting the table. Please come in." She stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

"That's a relief, I was a little concerned that I was going to arrive too early," Azuma walked in and pulled out from behind his back a gift basket. He held it out to her and said, "This is for you and the rest of the family; it's to thank you for inviting me over tonight." He gave her one of his sweet smiles while Kahoko's mother gapped with surprise.

"T-Thank you," she could barely get the words out as she wasn't expecting anything like this.

Kahoko's sister walked down with the stairs with her younger sister in toe as she dragged her with her to greet Azuma, "Good evening, Yunoki-san, it's nice to see you again."

"It's a pleasure to see you too," Azuma greeted as he noticed Kahoko hiding behind her sister, "And good evening to you too, Hino-san."

Kahoko felt her sister push her forward so Azuma could get a good view of her, although when he did, he could barely contain his surprise. Seeing her in that pale pink dress again was certainly unexpected, although he couldn't deny that it pleased him seeing it. This time however, Kahoko had her hair tied up in a high pony tail and looked to have a little makeup on. This made his smile broaden with delight, "You look very beautiful, Hino-san."

"T-Thank you," Kahoko murmured in a very low voice. She was looking off to the side with her cheeks burning bright red in embarrassment. She argued and even fought with her sister to not wear this dress, but being the younger sibling, she ended up losing the battle and allowed her sister to dress her up as she pleased. Doing her hair was one thing but Kahoko didn't expect her to put makeup on her. She felt so out of place, but could tell Azuma was enjoying every moment of it.

"Well, let's all sit down at the table, shall we?" Kahoko's mother said as she went on ahead with Kahoko's older sister in toe.

Azuma looked Kahoko over again and gave her a different smile this time, one which looked very wicked and suggestive before asking, "Did you miss being my lover, Kahoko?"

Kahoko nearly fell over when she heard that, "T-This was my sister's doing! I didn't want to wear this!"

"Oh? You don't like the dress? And after all that money I spent getting it for you..." Azuma pouted, pretending to feel offended.

"That's not what I meant Yunoki-senpai!" Kahoko exclaimed with both annoyance and shock. She was already embarrassed enough, she didn't need his teasing to make it worse. It took her hours to get over what he had done to her at school; she didn't need similar treatment in her own home.

"My, such fire in those words," Azuma mocked as his eyes turned to look more mysterious and alluring. "Perhaps I should do something to put that fire out," he pondered with his tone now dark and seductive. He reached out and cupped Kahoko's chin in hand while his thumb caressed over her lower lip, hinting at what he was suggesting earlier. Kahoko's heart leapt in response while her lip tingled at his touch. She watched he began to lean in, his eyes locked on hers all the while. Kahoko began to recall the way his lips felt around her earlobe and began to panic as she tried turning away, "Y-Yunoki-senpai..."

"I'm kidding," Azuma chuckled as he released his hold on her chin, taking a little pity on her. Kahoko immediately backed away, putting some space between them as she brought a hand over her chest, hoping to calm the rapid beats of her heart.

Not wanting to keep her family waiting any longer, Azuma went to walk by her but when he was by Kahoko's side he added, "Or am I...?" Kahoko quickly turned her head to look at him, noticing a hint of his devilish smile before it turned into a sweet, charming one which he was to use on her mother and sister. Kahoko leaned against the wall, realising that this was going to be a very long night.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hmmm, this chapter was a struggle for me, particularly the beginning. I wanted to fit the whole dinner scene in here but if I did, it was going to be too long - my chapters are already long enough as it is. :P I had trouble trying to setup the invite, as Kahoko didn't ask Azuma in the last chapter and I couldn't really jump straight to the dinner scene... well, I could've I suppose but it would've looked weird. I also wanted a bit more interaction between Azuma and Kahoko besides the usual teasing... Of course I couldn't cut that out entirely as that's what makes the story hehe so I hope there was a happy medium XP

Thanks to those who have reviewed, I'm so happy that the third chapter was received so well! I hope this chapter was okay too. It may not be as interesting as the last one but please bear with me; it's only the fourth chapter so there is a lot more to come XD Please let me know what you thought!


	5. Chapter 05

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story – Love this pairing! XD Love Azuma, love Kahoko... but I love Azuma just a little bit more XP ... Just a bit I swear. :P

* * *

Chapter 5

Once everyone was settled at the table, Kahoko couldn't help but stare in astonishment over the amount of food there was. There were only four of them, and yet there was enough to feed dozens of people. Every dish was of a traditional Japanese cuisine which Kahoko had recommended her mother make but since she didn't know what Azuma specifically liked, her mother decided to prepare a wide variety. Kahoko thought her mother went a bit overboard but she couldn't blame her, she could tell she wanted to make a good impression and Azuma didn't seem to mind – perhaps he was used to this at home?

When everyone began to eat, Kahoko watched as Azuma was about to have his first taste of her mother's cooking. He served himself some grilled fish and rice, gathered a bit with his chopsticks and carefully brought it to his mouth as he chewed and savoured the taste. It wasn't just Kahoko watching him either, her sister and particularly her mother watched eagerly to see his reaction. Azuma was well aware of the way they were staring, although he pretended not to notice. "This is delicious," he said after he swallowed his food, "Hino-san is certainly lucky to have a mother that can cook so wonderfully."

"Oh, I'm so glad you like it Yunoki-san," Kahoko's mother replied delightfully, "Please eat as much as you like."

"Thank you very much," Azuma said as gave her a sweet smile.

Kahoko was sitting opposite Azuma while her sister sat beside her and her mother sat beside him. This was a little awkward for Kahoko as she had a full view of Azuma and couldn't help but watch him constantly. She noticed how Azuma continued to maintain an air of elegance and refinement about him, even at the dinner table which made her feel like she was dining with royalty. But was he genuinely like this all the time? He kept up this gentlemanly facade at school but Kahoko didn't want him feeling as though he couldn't be himself in her own home... Then again, she had no right to think such things as she wasn't acting herself either. Since when did she dress in fancy clothes and do her hair and makeup when all she was doing was eating at home? Even her mother and sister looked a little on edge; they kept their eyes down and ate in total silence as if they were all strangers. This was not the way they usually shared dinner together. Her family always asked about each other's day and would have random conversations about anything that came to mind but for some reason, they felt they couldn't do that in Azuma's presence.

As though sensing Kahoko's thoughts, Azuma looked up at her and asked, "Is everything alright, Hino-san?"

"Yunoki-senpai..." Kahoko trailed off, uncertain if whether or not she should be honest, but when she saw the uneasiness in her mother's and sister's expressions, she looked back at Azuma and said, "I was just thinking how nice it is to have you over for dinner and..." She paused as though thinking twice about what she was going to say and said instead, "...I hope everything is to your liking..." She forced herself to smile, wishing she could have said what was really on her mind but she didn't want to offend him in case this was the way he normally ate at home.

Azuma stared at her for a moment, noticing the strain in her words but smiled anyway and replied, "Thank you, Hino-san, everything is fine, however I hope you and your family can relax and enjoy yourselves like you normally do. Please don't feel you have to act any different in my presence." He gave them a reassuring smile which helped change the mood almost instantly. Kahoko's mother and sister looked to one another and before you knew it, they were making conversation like they usually did, which helped ease the building tension in the room. Kahoko let out a little sigh with relief and looked to Azuma thankfully. He gave her a little smile in return, although he didn't think it was such a big deal.

Once Kahoko's mother and sister finished hearing about each other's day, they turned their attention to Kahoko where she got asked about her day and what she had been up to. While Kahoko shared this with them willingly and openly, Azuma watched silently, not taking in what was being said but observing the way they interacted. Kahoko's mother and sister listened intently to Kahoko's story, smiling all the while and even adding a few comments here and there. Her sister would even tease her at times while Kahoko would take it too seriously like she normally did, causing everyone to laugh as they went on to talk about something else. They got along very well, Azuma noticed, so much so that it was making him sick to his stomach.

Kahoko glanced at Azuma then, wondering why he wasn't joining in on the conversation. When their eyes met, she noticed something dark lurking within his gaze, but the moment he blinked it vanished and he looked like his 'usual' self again. He smiled at her and went back to eating, as though trying to cover up what she just saw. It may have only been for a moment, but Kahoko definitely saw something. Before she had a chance to ask however, she was cut off when her mother turned to Azuma and asked, "How was your day, Yunoki-san? I don't believe I have asked you yet." She gave him a warm smile while he stared back with a blank expression.

"...My day?" Azuma questioned, not expecting to be asked such a thing, "It was, good."

"Tell us about it, I'm interested to hear what school life is like for a music student," her mother went on as she held his gaze, showing genuine interest which surprised Azuma at first, but he smiled kindly and went on to tell her what his day was generally like. This conversation led to Kahoko's sister asking about what instrument he played and he went on from there telling them about the flute and how long he had been playing. This started a whole line of questioning as Kahoko's her mother and sister began asking him random questions about his interest in music, his likes and dislikes, his future goals, his family and the list went on. Of course they weren't just probing answers out of him, they in turn would tell him about themselves which Azuma seemed interested in and would ask his own questions in turn. There were moments where her mother or sister would make him smile more than what you would expect, and even got him laughing at times. Kahoko smiled at how well they were all getting along, although she couldn't help but wonder if Azuma really was alright.

* * *

A few hours had passed and Kahoko couldn't believe her mother and sister were still talking. While their conversation started out innocent enough, they began talking about really embarrassing things like her childhood. How the conversation began to focus on her, she had no idea, but each time she tried changing the subject her mother and sister would go back to it, as if completely ignoring her. She gave up in the end and pretended to not listen, although in reality she was hanging on every word, making sure they didn't reveal anything too embarrassing.

"... And oh Yunoki-san, she was just so adorable!" Her mother gushed, referring to the way Kahoko was on her third birthday.

"Oh yes," her sister added with a cheeky grin, "We should show him some photos. I bet he'd love to see how Kahoko looked when she got her birthday cake! Seeing her get all excited with icing and cream smeared all over her face, her hair and her clothes! It was certainly a sight to behold!"

"No! You won't show him that, or any photos for that matter!" Kahoko yelled with embarrassment, finding she couldn't stay silent any longer.

Azuma held back his laughter as much as he could while he replied to her sister, "Thank you for offering but I don't think Hino-san would like me seeing her in such a way..." Kahoko glared at him, knowing he was only saying that just to be polite.

"Perhaps next time then, when she isn't around," her sister joked while Kahoko narrowed her eyes on her older sibling this time.

"Now now, I think we've embarrassed Kahoko enough, we're sorry dear," her mother apologised, although she looked just as amused as the others.

When everyone had finished eating, Kahoko, her mother and her sister rose from the table as they all helped to clear the table. Azuma offered to help but Kahoko's mother declined kindly, "You are our guest Yunoki-san, so please relax while I get you something to drink. Some tea perhaps?"

"Oh, thank you but I think I should head home now. It's getting late and there is school tomorrow." He rose from his chair then while Kahoko's mother began to panic, knowing he still hadn't tried any of Kahoko's dessert yet.

"Y-Yunoki-san, please stay a little longer," she smiled, as she tried thinking of a good excuse to keep him here, "I have a garden out the back, would you like to see it?" She held her smile in check, although she couldn't help but pity her lack of imagination for a better excuse than that.

Azuma stared at her blankly, wondering what the reason was behind this random request. He had his suspicions but figured he'd find out soon enough and said, "Sure, I'd love to see it." To be honest, he didn't really care either way, but any excuse to stay longer didn't bother him one bit.

After Kahoko's mother guided him outside, she quickly rushed to the kitchen where she knew Kahoko was and said, "Yunoki-san is outside, go give him the dessert you made before he gets suspicious."

"You made him dessert!?" Kahoko's sister exclaimed with excitement, "Aww, how cute! Well hurry along, you don't want to keep him waiting!"

Before another word could be said, Kahoko found herself standing by the door which led outside to their backyard where she knew Azuma was waiting. She had in one hand a bowl of the anmitsu dessert while the other held a spoon. She wondered why her mother and sister were so eager for her to give Azuma this dessert, it wasn't supposed to be a big deal yet they made it out to be anyway. Still, she couldn't stand here all night, and she didn't want Azuma growing too impatient.

Taking a deep breath, hoping to build up some courage, Kahoko peered though the partially opened door to see what Azuma was doing. He was standing by her mother's flower bed but instead of looking over the garden, his head was tilted up towards the night sky. He had his back to her, so she couldn't see what mood he was in, but she watched as he brought a hand to the bundle of hair which was resting over his shoulder. He removed the tie which bound it all together and allowed his long purple locks to fall freely down his back, allowing the moon's rays to bounce off his hair, giving it a radiant glow.

Kahoko could feel her nerves steadily increase with each passing moment. She wanted to walk right up to him and give him the dessert but another part of her wanted to run away and hide. What scared her most of all was the possibility of him hating it. How would she respond to that if that was the case? She would have to get over it obviously but for some reason, the thought terrified her. Then again, there was the other possibility of him liking it, and that thought was what drove her to finally step outside.

Her movements caught Azuma's attention, for he turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder, "Ah, Hino-san," Azuma acknowledged, using his polite gentlemanly tone, "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

"Ah, y-yes it is..." Kahoko answered, doing her best to remain calm.

"It would be nice if we could see some stars," Azuma said as he looked back up at the sky, "It would complement the full moon beautifully..."

"Yunoki-senpai..." Kahoko watched him thoughtfully.

He turned his gaze back to hers then, staring at her for a while with a calm, tranquil expression, but then it wavered, showing he couldn't be bothered keeping up the friendly persona any longer. "Tonight's experience has made me... dislike you in many ways Hino," Azuma admitted, "This dinner, how it was arranged by your mother... And your family... the way they behave... the way you interact..." He trailed off and closed his eyes with annoyance while Kahoko remained silent. She waited patiently to see if he would continue, as he looked as though he could, but instead resisted the urge to.

Kahoko continued watching him, wondering if her family had said something to offend him, but when she tried thinking of a moment where they could have, nothing came to mind. So how did their actions upset him? All they did was show a general interest in things, talk about anything that came to mind and laugh and joke about something they found humorous... Kahoko's eyes widened then, as she realised Azuma didn't hate her like he implied, he was envious of her, of her family... So that meant he really did get along with them, that it wasn't just an act, he really did like her family.

"Yunoki-senpai," Kahoko said after a while, "You are, always welcome to come visit us again..." She felt herself blush a little with those words as she noticed Azuma turn to look at her with curiosity. "T-That is, my mother and sister are very fond of you so, they would be more than happy to see you again!" Kahoko tried to explain; not wanting to make it seem like it was a personal invite.

Azuma smiled at her words, "And what about you?"

"M-M-Me?" Kahoko stuttered, as she was caught aback by this question, "I-I-That is-About you-I'm-I-I..." She wanted to say yes, but the thought made her heart beat loud and hard against her chest while her cheeks began to burn bright red. She was fond of him, as a friend, but why couldn't she say it? Was it because admitting to such a thing made it almost sound like she...she... Kahoko suddenly thrust the dessert bowl forward, holding it out towards Azuma as she kept her head bowed, not wanting him to see how embarrassed she was.

Azuma glanced at the bowl, forgetting that his question went unanswered and said, "Ah, so that's why your mother wanted me to stay." He looked away then and added, "Thank you, but the meal was already quite filling. I'm sure you or your sister could eat it in my place."

His words were like a slap in the face, even though she knew it was unintentional. She did admit her mother prepared more food than what was required, and he did try a bit of everything just to be considerate. But still, she put a lot of time and effort into making this dessert and she really wanted to know what he thought, "P-Please at least try it, Yunoki-senpai..." Kahoko begged while Azuma turned his head to her again, "Just a taste... that's all I ask..."

Azuma raised an eyebrow at her, not certain why she was being so persistent but sighed and decided to comply with her wishes. He took the bowl and spoon from her hands and examined the dessert for a moment. He recognised it was anmitsu, although he hadn't tried this dessert before. When he ate sweets, he generally ate baked goods like cakes or cookies, and they were always bought from reputable stores, never homemade. It looked a little plain, but it smelt nice so it shouldn't taste too bad. Azuma took a spoonful and raised it to his lips but before it went into his mouth, he noticed Kahoko watching his every movement and wondered why she was staring so intently. She looked nervous as well, and he hadn't done anything to cause it.

"...This isn't poisoned is it?"

"W-What?!" Kahoko was astounded that he would even joke about such a thing, "Of course not!"

"I'm kidding," Azuma smiled, "You seem a little uncomfortable though, mind telling me why?"

"I-I'm fine, no problems here," Kahoko lied. She wanted to see what he thought about the dessert before she told him who made it. At least this way, she should get an honest opinion without him saying what she wanted to hear, or making up something just to get a rise out of her.

Azuma wasn't convinced by her answer, as she was after all a very bad liar but he dismissed it for now, as he enclosed his mouth over the spoon, tasting a mix of fruits and jelly in its substance. He chewed slowly and savoured the taste while Kahoko stared at him, eagerly awaiting his opinion while she hoped and prayed that he would like it. She didn't see any negative response so far but when it came to Azuma, it was hard to tell what he was really thinking.

Azuma was surprised by how this dessert tasted. He wasn't sure what to think at first when he thought of fruits and jelly mixed with lemon syrup and azuki beans but it was a strangely good mix. As for it being homemade, he hadn't tried many of these to judge but he thought it was made very well. He liked it, and wanted more even though he wasn't hungry.

"This is, surprisingly good," Azuma said as he stared into the bowl, "I have to say your mother took chances preparing a dessert like this as I don't see many people appreciating its taste." He sampled a little more, just to make sure he was happy with his opinion and smiled, "But I like it, I don't remember the last time I ate something like this." He thought about the rest of the food he had eaten tonight, and while it was delicious, they were foods he ate regularly at home. The dessert however, while it was very good, it was something he hadn't tried before which made him appreciate it all the more, "I wonder if perhaps I could take some home, would your mother mind?" He turned his gaze to Kahoko's then, expecting an answer but was instead caught aback when he noticed the way she looked. She had her eyes cast down to the ground; however her head wasn't bowed so he had a clear view of her face. Her eyes looked glassy as though she was about to cry but there were no sign of tears, instead they appeared to shimmer like jewels against the moonlight. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips were curved into one of the most beautiful smiles Azuma had ever seen.

Kahoko wasn't sure why but, hearing how much he liked her dessert made her so happy that she was overwhelmed with joy. "W-We have more, I don't mind if you take some with you..." She answered, although she could barely get the words.

Azuma blinked, then blinked again, "Hino; did you...?"

Kahoko nodded, "I'm glad you liked it, I haven't made anything like this before so, I was a little worried about your reaction but... I'm so relieved." She smiled brightly at Azuma, "Thank you so much."

Azuma was dumbfounded, it took him a few moments to process her words as he wasn't certain he heard her correctly, but now it all made sense. At first he thought her mother wanted him to stay longer so he and Kahoko could spend some time alone, but now realising what it was really about, and hearing Kahoko's words just now, it almost sounded as though, this dessert was made especially for...him. But that couldn't be right, Kahoko said she wasn't going to cook, she told him that herself and because of that, he believed what she said and knew not to expect anything from her when he arrived. This was definitely a shock to the system, as he didn't see it coming at all. It wasn't just the dessert that surprised him, it was the fact that he hadn't received anything like this before, from anyone, and this was the first thing Kahoko had ever given him. It wasn't a bought gift either; time, patience and care went into this dessert's creation and it was made with her own two hands... Azuma's gaze softened while he slowly bowed his head, causing a few locks of hair to slip forward over his shoulders as it dangled by his face, hiding his expression.

"Yunoki-senpai...?" Kahoko stared at him with concern, wondering if he was alright. She took a step towards him, however the moment she did that, Azuma's free arm reached out and pulled her against him suddenly. Kahoko went wide eyed as her face rested against Azuma's chest while her whole body tensed against his. She felt her nerves steadily increase while her body temperature rose dramatically, but as embarrassed as she was, she made no move to pull away.

"I should be thanking you... Kahoko," Azuma whispered with such a warm, heartfelt tone that Kahoko almost didn't recognise him. His tone helped ease her nervousness however which allowed her to secretly enjoy this moment all the more. She closed her eyes while savouring the feel of Azuma's warm body, appreciating the way he held her with such tenderness and affection.

Azuma on the other hand was confused and a little uncertain of these emotions developing within him. He knew he had strong feelings for Kahoko, enough to be possessive of her and want her all to himself, but he felt as though it was becoming something more than that. He could always think logically though any situation and maintain his composure, yet with her, he was becoming an emotional wreck and could barely think straight. Even now, the reason he had to reach out to her wasn't just to show his appreciation but to make sure Kahoko couldn't see his face. He was blushing, and he didn't need a mirror to see it for he could feel his face was a little warmer than usual. This was unheard of when it came to him, as he had never blushed in his life yet look at him now! 'Oh well, even the best of us slip up from time to time...' Azuma thought, hoping this was would be the first and last time he allowed these emotions to overflow and take control of him.

* * *

It was just after ten at night, and after a few farewells, Azuma got driven back home. Kahoko was the last to see him go, as she waited till the car was out of sight before heading back inside. When she closed the door, she couldn't help but smile happily to herself, grateful that the dinner was such a success and that Azuma enjoyed himself. Wanting to see what her mother and sister thought, she walked into the kitchen to see what they were up to.

"Oh my..." Kahoko heard her mother gasp.

"Wow, this all for us?" Her sister exclaimed excitedly.

Kahoko approached them to see what they were up to and noticed they were looking over the gift basket Azuma had given them. She had completely forgotten about it, as at the time when her mother first received it, Azuma was teasing her about the dress so her attention was on other things, mainly his embarrassing words. Inside the basket was a variety of items like wine, boxes of chocolates, cookies, assorted nuts, items for the kitchen like spreads, spices, cooking utensils and much more. While it was an eye opener with the amount of things that were in there, Kahoko's mother noticed they were all from top quality brands, meaning they would have been very expensive, "This is... Oh dear... Can we really accept such gifts?"

"I don't see why not," Kahoko's sister replied, "He doesn't seem like the type that would offer a gift that he couldn't afford." She sighed then, "Still, I can't believe my younger sister managed to get such a guy... I'm so jealous..."

Kahoko's heart skipped a beat at that remark, "I-I told you before, it's not like that...He's just a friend..."

"Kahoko," her mother said as she pulled out something from the basket, "There is a gift in here for you."

"E-Eh!?" Kahoko went wide eyed.

"Oh yeah, he's just a friend, I totally see it now..." Her sister remarked sarcastically while Kahoko received the present from her mother. It was a small box, about half the size of a milk carton and was carefully wrapped in pink wrapping paper which seemed to shine and glitter against the light. There was also a silk white ribbon wrapped around the box which held it securely in place. A miniature card was hanging from the bow which had Kahoko's full name on it, addressing it specifically to her with no other message. Kahoko untied the ribbon slowly, noticing her mother and sister watching with eagerness to see what was inside. Once the gift was unwrapped, Kahoko lifted the lid of the box slowly, almost hesitantly and noticed inside was a cell phone. She stared at it in confusion at first, as this wasn't something she expected to receive. Kahoko's mother and sister were also surprised.

"That's a shame, you already have a cell phone," Her mother said.

"I was expecting it to be something more romantic like jewellery," Kahoko's sister commented with a hint of disappointment.

Kahoko stared at the gift for a while, not paying much attention to what her family thought. The phone had a soft lavender cover which almost looked silver depending on the lighting. The edges were decorated in small white diamantes which were set into the cover so they were secure and protected from falling out. The antennae had a dangling ornament attached with a dark purple cord. Upon closer inspection, Kahoko noticed the ornament was a mini violin; its bronze surface glistened with movement, although as she stared at it, she noticed it looked just like her violin, it even had the golden string which she was very fond of. Turning the phone over to see if there was anything on the back, there was a picture of her violin again but larger and with more detail to be seen as it rested against an assortment of flowers. It was designed with a whole range of colours and almost glowed which gave you the temptation to reach out and touch it. Kahoko was surprised; she had never seen such an intricate design on a phone before. It wasn't a sticker as there was nothing to peel off and it didn't seem like it was painted on either so it should be resistant with everyday use. Kahoko smiled, she may already have a phone but this one was a lot nicer, plus she felt she received more than just a phone. There were flowers, and there were also jewels which her sister had wanted her to receive.

She looked to her family then and said, "I think I'll go to my room now, so I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright, good night and don't stay up too late." Her mother said as she watched Kahoko pick up the box, gift wrapping and ribbon from her present.

"Good night Kahoko," her sister smiled as she tried some chocolate from the box of assortments, "Oh wow, this is delicious!"

Kahoko left them to do what they wished with Azuma's gift basket and headed up stairs. Once she was in her room, she put the box, wrapping paper and ribbon on her desk and stared over the phone again. She hadn't noticed at first but there was an inscription on the back of the cover, below the violin portrait. The writing was in gold lettering, the first part being her name which was written in kanji, however below that was something else. It was some sort of message but it wasn't in Japanese. The recognised letters were English but it didn't read like an English inscription. She was a little rusty but she figured out what the letters were after using her dictionary for reference. The phrase was '_Croyez en Moi'_, whatever that was supposed to mean.

Before Kahoko could think on it any further, she jumped when the phone began to ring and vibrate in her hand. She fumbled with it a couple of times but didn't drop it thankfully. She noticed then that she knew the tune of this ring tone. It was 'Ave Maria', a song she knew all too well, the first song she ever played on the violin. She smiled then, knowing Azuma would have put that on there for her... but then she realised she still had to answer the phone! Quickly flipping the phone open, the melody of Ave Maria was silenced as she slowly brought the phone to her ear, "H-Hello?"

"My, that certainly took a while," Azuma voice came from the other end, "I didn't think answering the phone would be so difficult for you." He sounded a little impatient, but his tone held more amusement than anything else.

"I-I'm sorry," Kahoko said, trying to focus more on his words than his voice. She couldn't help but notice he sounded very sensual and inviting over the phone. Hearing him so clearly against her ear made her feel as though he was right there beside her, his lips grazing against her ear as he spoke. Imagining such things sent warm chills up and down her spine.

"Something wrong?" Azuma asked as there had been a brief pause.

"I-I was just a little distracted," Kahoko tried to explain.

"By what?"

"By your ton-" Kahoko went wide eyed when she realised what she was about to say.

"My tone?" Azuma cut in before she could correct herself, "Why, I'm flattered ... Would you like me to say something especially for you then, for your ears only?" He purposely made his tone a little deeper, making it all the more alluring and harder to resist. Thankfully he wasn't here in person, but it didn't make the situation any easier to bear.

"I-I meant the ring tone." Kahoko sighed as she sat on her bed, feeling very embarrassed right now. She could hear Azuma laughing faintly on the other end of the phone, causing her to blush all the more from her earlier slip-up.

"Ah, I thought you would like it," Azuma said after he had settled down a bit, "I did want to put another song on there, but I didn't want other people hearing it. After all, I did promise it would be just for you."

"Another song?" Kahoko enquired.

There was a long pause. "...Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me," Azuma said finally, sounding a little offended. He was referring to the song he had played Kahoko on their summer camp after the concours. He considered it quite a memorable occasion as he put a lot of thought into preparing that for her. He had hoped it was memorable for Kahoko as well, although as usual she never seemed to use her brain when it mattered most. "Anyway, moving on, do you like the phone?"

Kahoko nodded, "Yes, it's beautiful, although I haven't seen a phone like this before. Still, I'm so glad I got more than one present out of it. The stones set into the cover are stunning and the artwork of my violin and the flowers are breathtaking."

Azuma smiled, relieved that she was able to figure at least something out on her own, "I'm glad you like it. I had the phone custom made as I didn't think flowers or jewellery suited the occasion, but the idea wasn't dismissed entirely as you've noticed..." He then went on to say, "Besides, I think this phone will be quite useful, for the both of us."

"Useful?"

"Yes, it allows me to contact you, whenever I want." Azuma replied wickedly.

Kahoko blushed at that, "B-But I could've given you the number to my old phone."

"Really? I somehow doubt that, you aren't that forward after all. Besides, I like the idea of knowing I have an exclusive line to you."

Kahoko smiled and shook her head, how typical of Azuma to give her something which he too would get something out of, not to mention give her no choice but to accept. Deep down however, she didn't mind, not at all really. After all, how many people had phones as beautiful as this? While a lot of money would have gone towards its production, it would have also taken a lot of time to design and make. It was something Azuma had given her, and because it was from him, she was going to keep it and treasure it. Kahoko closed her eyes and smiled thoughtfully at his gift and his words just now, forgetting that he was still on the phone and waiting for a response.

"...You haven't fallen asleep have you?" Azuma said which snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Ah! I'm sorry; Yunoki-senpai!" Kahoko laughed a little while she heard Azuma sigh. "Oh, by the way, I noticed something inscribed on this phone. It's the message underneath my name but I don't know what it means."

"Croyez en Moi," Azuma pronounced fluently, indicting the message was written in French. While Kahoko was in awe at Azuma's multilingual skills, she couldn't help but notice the way he said it. It was like a gentle purr against her ear, causing her breath to still as her heart responded to it in ways she couldn't describe.

"I-It sounds nice," Kahoko commented, "But what does it mean?"

"Hmm, the meaning..." Azuma trailed off as though in deep thought while Kahoko shifted her weight to the edge of her bed, waiting eagerly in anticipation of his response. "It means..." There was another pause before he finally answered, "... My Slave."

Those words made Kahoko fall off the bed suddenly, her face smacking against the carpet as she landed awkwardly on the hard floor. "O-Owww..." Kahoko winced, while her body was sprawled out over the ground. She still had the phone in her hand thankfully, although she barely had the nerve to bring it back to her ear. Those words kept replaying in her mind over and over, causing her face to turn beet red as she felt on the verge of passing out. She wished she didn't ask about the inscription now. She wanted to know it in all seriousness but Azuma took advantage of that and decided to tease her over it... 'Wait, he WAS just teasing right...?' Kahoko wondered, 'He wouldn't have put such a message on the phone... would he?'

The phone suddenly rang again, causing Kahoko to jump and yelp with surprise. She fumbled with the phone again, trying to accept the call, almost dropping it again but finally managed to accept the call. As she brought the phone to her ear however, she noticed her hand was trembling nervously. She tried shaking it off but to no avail. Swallowing at the lump in her throat, she took a few deep breaths and opened her mouth to speak, "H-H-H-Hello?" Kahoko stuttered, struggling to get even a sound past her lips.

"What happened to you?" Azuma asked as innocently as he could, although Kahoko could detect a hint of laughter in his tone.

She was silent for a moment before finally saying, "...That was mean Yunoki-senpai, joking about such things..."

"Who said I was joking?" Azuma replied; causing Kahoko's heart to skip a beat as butterflies danced in her stomach. He chuckled then, figuring he had played her enough and admitted, "The inscription has a different meaning to what I said, but if you want to know what it really means, you'll need to either figure it out yourself... or do something very special for me, then I'll tell you."

"You're joking again..." Kahoko murmured, although wondering about what 'special' things Azuma was implying.

"I'm not, if you make it worth my while, I promise I'll tell you," Azuma said truthfully and smiled, "But more on this later, you should go to bed as there is school tomorrow, then another photo shoot afterwards."

Kahoko nodded, feeling so drained from not only today's events but yesterday's as well, and she had Azuma to thank for that. At least tonight there was no chance of staying up as she could already feel herself nodding off.

"Good night Yunoki-senpai, I'll see you tomorrow," Kahoko said as she rubbed at her sleepy eyes.

"Good night, Kahoko," Azuma said, then quickly added, "I'll be picking you up in the morning, so make sure you're ready by the time I arrive."

"W-What!?" Kahoko gasped but Azuma had already hung up, leaving her with no opportunity to protest.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yay! The fifth chapter is done, and it was all based on Azuma's visit to Kahoko's house. Hehe, and to think I was going to have all this in the last chapter lol. :P I was thinking about cutting some bits out so I could move along with the story but you know, most of it was relevant – having Azuma bond with Kahoko's family – I guess in ways to make him feel appreciated, unlike the way things would be in his own home. How Azuma reacted to Kahoko's surprise dessert, which I hope people liked. It's hard to imagine how Azuma would react in some situations, I know he is always calm and collected most of the time, but I think, at that moment, receiving something for the first time, handmade by the person you loved... even he couldn't resist not being touched by that :P

The phone will most definitely have its uses in the near future XP That and the message Azuma had inscribed on it will be important too. I apologise now if the phrase was written incorrectly. I don't know any French and I used an English to french translation program on the net to get it. It's supposed to mean 'Believe in Me' as I thought 'I love you' was just too predictable and boring :P I personally couldn't see Azuma putting that on there either. He's a romantic but not a sappy romantic XP Plus leaving Kahoko in suspense is what he does best... not to mention enjoys hehe.

I'm noticing my chapters are gradually getting longer too... I'll try to make the next one a bit shorter so you aren't stuck reading such long chapters, sorry, bad habit –bows head-

I thank everyone for their support in this; your reviews are what inspire me keep going with this story. All I do in my free time is write now lol, I have anime to watch, games to play... and other things to do but no, writing this story is my top priority now hehe. Please let me know what you thought. If anyone knows French, please let me know if I wrote 'Believe in Me' message correctly – if not I shall make amendments with your assistance :)


	6. Chapter 06

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is story is based on Azuma and Kahoko! The best couple in the series: XD A match made in heaven! ;)

* * *

Chapter 6

Kahoko's sister had woken up late this morning and knew she had to hurry if she were to make it to work on time. She got changed as quickly as she could and ran to the door with the strap of her handbag in her mouth while clumsily putting on her jacket. Once it was on, she opened the door and was about to rush out but stopped when she noticed Azuma standing before her, "Ah!" Her hand bag fell from her mouth, "Yunoki-san! What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Azuma was only seconds away from ringing the doorbell when she opened the door. He picked up her bag, held it out to her and smiled kindly before replying, "Good morning, I'm so sorry to intrude but I came here to take Hino-san to school. I was waiting outside but since she hadn't come out yet, I was wondering if she was alright."

"Eh? She usually would've left by now, but if she's still here then she must still be asleep," she accepted her bag from Azuma before going on, "If I knew about this sooner, I would have made sure she was up on time. Do you think you could wake her then, Yunoki-san? I would do so myself but I really need to get to work. Just go upstairs, turn the corner and you'll find Kahoko's room. It's the first door on the right. Thanks a bunch!" She waved in farewell and was gone before Azuma could say anything in response. Finding no other way around this, Azuma entered the Hino residence and headed up the stairs as directed. Lucky for him he came earlier than planned so at least if Kahoko was still asleep, he had a few minutes to spare before they really needed to go.

Approaching what he assumed was Kahoko's bedroom door; Azuma raised his hand to it, a little hesitantly at first but gave a gentle knock. He waited a few moments but there was no reply. He tried again, this time a little louder and called out, "Hino-san, are you wake?" Azuma listened in but again there was no response. He sighed then, thinking how annoying this whole situation was. He had tried calling her earlier, many times, but he got no response, assuming she had turned off the phone last night. And to think, if she had left it on, it would have acted as a second alarm system and they wouldn't be caught in this predicament. Since waiting outside was getting him nowhere; Azuma brought his hand to the door handle and tested it to see if it was unlocked. It was so Azuma slowly opened the door and peered inside. He noticed Kahoko's sleeping form hiding under the covers of her bed. The only thing he could see was her head of red hair but at least it confirmed he had the right room.

Azuma walked inside and took in his surroundings, wanting to get a good look of her room as he doubted such an opportunity would come again. It was neat and tidy which was good to see. He half expected to see junk everywhere as Kahoko gave him that impression with her scatterbrained personality. Walking over to her desk, he picked up the phone he had given her and noticed it was turned off, which he expected. He decided to turn it on for convenience sake and turned it over to stare over the violin and flowers, then over her name and that message he left in gold lettering. He ran his index finger over it thoughtfully, thinking about the translation of 'Croyez en Moi' which was 'Believe in Me' in Japanese.

Azuma thought back on the designing stage of this phone, remembering it was over a month ago that he first thought to give Kahoko such a gift. It was a little after the summer camp. At that time, he had no idea what was going through his mind when he had this made for her, but he intended to give it to her as a Christmas present. It only arrived a couple of weeks ago but when Kahoko invited him over, he thought while leaving gifts for her family that she deserved something special. That's when he remembered the phone and thought now was a good a time as any to give it to her, to show his appreciation, but with a few weeks to go before Christmas, he needed to get her something else, but what?

He heard Kahoko let out a little moan which distracted Azuma from his thoughts. Turning his head in her direction, he watched as she rolled over so she was now facing the wall while she had her back to him. Azuma placed the phone back on the desk and approached the bed so he could watch over her sleeping form. He couldn't believe how easy this was, being in her room, alone with her, with no one else around, giving him free access to do whatever he wanted. There were so many things he could do, so many wicked yet wild things... but he didn't intend to act on any of them. As much as he would like to, he would remember Kahoko's thoughtfulness from last night with that anmitsu dessert and realise that she deserved better than to be treated in such a way... in her sleep that is. Besides, it was more fun teasing her when she was aware it was happening; he didn't need her asleep to do whatever he wanted.

Noticing Kahoko's alarm clock, Azuma reached for it and noticed it hadn't been set to go off this morning, which explained why she was still sleeping. Rolling his eyes, Azuma pulled out from under her desk a chair to sit himself down on and began to reset her alarm to go off a minute from now. When that was done, Azuma held the alarm clock close to her bed and waited patiently for the alarm to go off. While he waited, his mind began to drift as he thought about that message on the phone again. "... Believe in me... Believe in what exactly?" Azuma pondered out loud as he closed his eyes.

Half a minute later, the alarm clock began its irritating tune as its beeps echoed throughout the room. Kahoko stirred in her sleep, not wanting to get up but found that alarm clock too annoying to ignore. She reached her arm out to the counter where her alarm clock usually sat, but as her hand fumbled over its surface she couldn't feel it anywhere within reach. Groaning with irritation, Kahoko poked her head out of the covers, her vision still blurry from sleepiness but could see enough to tell it wasn't on the counter or her desk. Turning her head in the direction of its sound, she noticed it sitting before her, about an arm's reach away. She didn't notice Azuma was there, holding it before her, but was instead focused on turning it off.

Azuma watched her with amusement as Kahoko reached out and fiddled with it a few times before finally finding the switch to turn it off. As silence filled the room once more, Kahoko closed her eyes and went to lie back down on the bed but Azuma prevented this by quickly grabbing her hand and pulling her forward so she would continue to sit up. But instead of sitting, Kahoko suddenly fell forward with half her body landing over Azuma's lap which made him flinch at the unexpected contact. He was half tempted to push her off but as he stared over her, noticing how relaxed and peaceful she was laying on him, he thought better on it and decided to enjoy it for what it was worth.

Placing the alarm clock on her desk, Azuma brought his hand over her head and began to stroke over her hair gently, taking in its silky texture as his fingers brushed through her long locks like a comb. While he did this, his eyes wandered from her hair to her choice of night wear, noticing she was dressed peach coloured pyjamas which covered her entire body, leaving him with nothing to admire. What was the point of invading a girl's bedroom if you weren't going to see anything exciting? Sure, her outfit would have been great if she was still in elementary school, but she was well into her teens now so she should be wearing something with more appeal. 'Hmm, perhaps I could do something change that...' Azuma thought as his lips curved into a wicked smile. Glancing at the clock to see what time it was, Azuma figured he should get her up now if he was to give her enough time to get ready.

"Hino, it's time to wake up," Azuma said as he began shaking her shoulder, "Come on, wake up." While he did this, Kahoko let out a little moan in protest, not wanting awake from her peaceful slumber. Instead, she got herself comfortable with her new 'pillow' and began rubbing her head into his lap, snuggling into him all the while as her arms wrapped around his knees. Azuma went wide eyed at this, not only was it unexpected, but the way she was rubbing was making him... Azuma quickly got up from the chair then, causing Kahoko to slip off his lap as her face smacked against the hard floor. The pain that shot through her nose made Kahoko wake up finally, although as she sat up and rubbed at her sore nose; there was no sign of Azuma anywhere. Kahoko wasn't even aware he was in her room to begin with, although she wondered why her chair wasn't sitting under her desk like it was supposed to.

As Kahoko got off her bed and let out a little yawn, she heard 'Ave Maria' playing and suspected Azuma was trying to call her. Forgetting she had turned it off last night, Kahoko flipped it open and brought it to her ear to answer, "Hello Yunoki-senpai?"

"..."

"Hello?"

"... Hino, you have five minutes to get ready. If you aren't ready by then, I'm leaving without you."

"Eh?" Kahoko heard him hang up from his end, leaving her with no room to question his words, although she couldn't help but notice he sounded different, like he was distracted or uncomfortable about something. While she pondered this, Kahoko glanced at the clock and suddenly went wide eyed when she noticed how late it was. No wonder Azuma was telling her to get ready in such a little amount of time!

As impossible as it first seemed, Kahoko managed in just five minutes to get ready and was out the door and inside Azuma's car as they headed for Seisou Academy. She was relieved and grateful that Azuma was taking her to school, as she knew she would have been very late if she had to walk all the way, but while she was thankful, she couldn't help but notice how strange Azuma was behaving. He didn't look as composed as he usually did and kept his gaze out the window at all times.

"Yunoki-senpai, are you alright?" Kahoko asked, wondering if he was unwell.

Azuma didn't say a word; instead he got out his phone and began typing something on it, as though he was going to text her. In a matter of seconds, Kahoko felt her phone vibrate and got it out to see what he had to say. When she did, she raised an eyebrow at his odd reply and looked at him in question. She knew he couldn't say it out loud with his driver being able to listen but still...

All it said was, [You're an idiot.]

* * *

Nami was walking to school with something very special. In her hands were the photos she had taken of Kahoko and Azuma at their first photo shoot. She was excited as she went through them on her way to school. She only wanted to judge her photography skills but she wanted to closer examine her models. Looking over Azuma's pictures first, she wasn't surprised to see how good they looked, as his attitude during the photo shoot made him seem like a professional. But while she expected great results, she didn't expect each and every picture to look so perfect. He made her want to gag with how flawless he was in everything he did, but she couldn't deny that his pictures were nice to look at – and he wasn't even her type which said a lot about his work. But while they were great, Nami couldn't help but feel something was a little off with them. Perhaps she was looking too much into it, but she felt as though something was missing...that Azuma could do better than this, but what exactly?

Keeping that question in mind, Nami skipped over his photos and began examining Kahoko's. The first half weren't all that appealing, as Nami suspected as Kahoko was extremely nervous and didn't seem to know what she was doing. Not that it was her fault as she wasn't meant to be a professional, but it was clear that she didn't have a natural talent for this. As soon as Nami reached the second half however, she was in awe of Kahoko's sudden transformation. This was around the time Azuma was playing his flute, which distracted Kahoko from the shoot and made her focus solely on the flute's melody. These photos proved she could produce great work, but she needed to give these results on her own, without any form of distraction. Still, this was their first shoot, she couldn't be too critical of her.

When she reached the last photo however, Nami's eyes widened as she stopped in midstride to stare over the photo in more detail. It was the shot she snuck in of Azuma and Kahoko hugging one another. It was taken from a side angle so both their expressions were seen, however, the result was more than she had expected. They looked so drawn to one another, like they were in their own world where no one could reach them. Kahoko had her eyes closed, but her smile radiated such happiness that Nami couldn't help but smile as well. This was definitely her best shot. When Nami glanced at Azuma however, her breath stilled while she stared at him in fascination. He had his eyes closed, like Kahoko, and he was smiling which was no surprise but there was something different about it. While his smiles were always kind and part of his personality, this one had something giving it more drive. Nami couldn't put it in words, but his smile radiated something which wasn't normal for him – at least nothing she had ever seen but it wasn't like she watched him constantly either. She could be wrong, but did it not look something like... love?

"Oh my god..." Nami brought a hand over her mouth, "Could it be...? Seriously?" Her hands began to shake as she felt a sudden burst of excitement run through her. What a story this was going to make, she could almost picture the headlines now – 'The Prince Has Found His Princess' or perhaps 'After Twenty Five Years the Wait is finally over' or simply 'The Violin Romance Reborn'. This would become the most popular news article that the print club had ever produced – and she would be the reason behind it all... but then again, what if she was misinterpreting this picture? Her future fame suddenly shattered before her, realising then that without any official proof, she couldn't just make up whatever she wanted based on her interpretation of some little smile. 'Oh well, at least Hino-san should like these photos; it might boost some confidence in her for the photo shoot after school.' Nami thought to herself.

Putting the photos back in her bag, Nami continued on her walk and noticed some distance away a car which was park by the side of the road. This was strange to her as there were no houses in this area but she didn't think much on it till she saw the driver get out the car to open the door for one of his passengers. She couldn't make out the face, but she recognised the uniform as one of her own, and that red hair looked just like...

Nami's eyes widened with realisation and quickly got out her camera so she could zoom in on the scene before her. It wasn't much of a close up, but she recognised it was Kahoko, and that car she was in looked just like Azuma's! She began taking photos then, hoping to catch something of interest while no one was aware of her presence. Kahoko was saying a few words to Azuma, who was still inside the car, and there was a noticeable tinge of pink in her cheeks but besides that, she waved in farewell to the departing car and began following after it on foot.

Nami lowered her camera slowly, her eyes beaming with happiness as her earlier excitement rekindled. She was so tempted to run up to Kahoko and question their secret rendezvous points but thought better on it. It could have been a one off thing, but if it wasn't, she didn't want to ruin this little 'arrangement' they had, otherwise she would never get the information she wanted. A plan was needed, and she needed to be careful and subtle with it if she were to get the information she wanted. She will discover the truth eventually, as something like this couldn't remain secret forever.

* * *

Nami found Kahoko again at lunch time, finding her in her classroom with Mio and Nao. She walked in, making her presence known and smiled brightly, "Good afternoon, Hino-san."

"Ah, good afternoon Amou-san," Kahoko smiled in greeting, "Would you like to join us?"

"Thanks but I was wondering if you could help me with something first, it won't take long I promise."

Kahoko wondered what this was, but she didn't get a chance to question it further. Nami took her by the hand and quickly dragged her out the classroom, leaving Mio and Nao to stare after them with puzzled expressions. Kahoko was dragged all the way to the roof top of the music department and when they arrived; Nami looked around to make sure they were alone before turning back to Kahoko, "Sorry about that, Hino-san, but I didn't think I could say what I wanted to with your friends nearby as this has something to do with the photo shoot."

Kahoko slowly nodded, "Okay... Is something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, no nothing like that!" Nami laughed as she walked over to the nearest bench, "Come sit with me Hino-san, I have something I want to show you."

As Kahoko sat beside her, Nami pulled out from her bag an envelope which had most of the photos from the first shoot. She had numerous copies made, for herself, Kahoko, Azuma and Hanako. Normally she couldn't afford so many but Hanako had given her the money for their development, as she wanted all of them to appreciate the hard work they were putting into this. Before seeing Kahoko however, Nami had reordered these pictures in hopes that Kahoko may reveal something to her. The first set had Kahoko's best pictures; as she had removed the ones she had taken of her in the beginning as Nami didn't want her to discourage over them. Next were the photos of Azuma and last but not least, the photo of the two of them hugging.

"Here, tell me what you think of these." Nami handed her the envelope and sat quietly as she prayed and hoped that this would work, that Kahoko would show her something which proved her assumptions were correct.

Kahoko opened the envelope carefully and reached inside to pull out the photos. After glancing at the first one, she noticed it didn't look too bad, much better than she first expected. But she remembered what a poor job she did in the beginning and realised that she was going to be reliving that moment again as she went through these photos. The thought scared her at first, but if she were to continue this, she needed to see her faults so she could better improve herself. With that in mind, Kahoko shifted the first photo to the back of the bundle and examined the second one, then the third, then the fourth, and as she went through her set, she began to wonder why they actually looked, decent.

"Amou-san, are these all my photos?" Kahoko asked with curiosity.

"Um, yeah; why?" Nami lied.

"...It's just... I felt I did a really bad job in the photo shoot, and I thought these photos were going to show me where I went wrong but, they actually look okay... so I guess I'm lucky to have such a good photographer." Kahoko gave her a little smile.

"Eh? You put a lot of effort into this too Hino-san. These photos show your hard work and perseverance through something you haven't had any experience with. You just need to have more faith in yourself, don't try so hard, just relax and be natural okay?" Nami smiled in reassurance while Kahoko smiled back, grateful for her encouraging words.

After going through her photos, Kahoko came across Azuma's and when she did, her eyes widened while her heart skipped a beat at the image before her. The first few photos were of him in that silvery-grey suit she liked, each shot had him posed differently so each photo stood out in its own unique way, even his expressions varied to give a little variety. Some photos would have him smile faintly while his eyes softened as though in a dreamy state, others would have him glancing off to the side with a wider smile – giving the impression he found something of interest. Kahoko was in awe of his natural talent, for each picture touched her in ways she couldn't describe. These photos had no backgrounds, as they posed in front of white screens, but Azuma's made you visualise your own backgrounds based on the way he was posed, like each picture told its own story. Kahoko could imagine him in a fancy restaurant, at a formal dress party or on stage performing. There was one picture which really gave this impression; Azuma he had his hand out towards the camera, his palm facing up while the other gestured behind him, as though indicating where he would like to escort you. The look on his face was so alluring and charming that it made you want to reach out and take his hand, only to be disappointed to find it was just a picture and nothing more. Kahoko blushed at this, almost too embarrassed to stare at the photo anymore, but she couldn't help but wonder if Azuma did this on purpose. He would be aware of how many girls desired him and this picture almost showed it. Although, while it made you fantasize over him, the reality was that it was just a picture, that he was out of your league, unobtainable, untouchable and that you could only gaze upon him and nothing more. 'Seems like typical Yunoki-senpai,' Kahoko thought to herself as she felt this sudden ache in her heart.

"Hino-san, are you alright?" Nami asked, noticing her sadden all of a sudden.

"Oh, y-yes I'm fine," Kahoko said as she forced herself to smile. She wanted to kick herself for getting so emotional over a mere picture, but while she tried hiding this, Nami on the other hand was intrigued. She noticed a whole wave of emotions emanate from Kahoko as she stared over Azuma's photos. Nami could tell she cared for him, that much was obvious, but she detected a hint of longing in her gaze, especially when she first looked at that photo where Azuma had his hand out to the camera. Then again, any girl would swoon from such a picture, she almost did and Azuma wasn't even her type. But when she noticed Kahoko sadden just now, she wondered what that was all about. She wanted to question her further but decided to keep quiet about it, as there was only one photo to go.

It was a minute or so before Kahoko turned to the last photo Nami wanted her to see, and when she saw it, Kahoko nearly dropped it from the sheer shock of seeing such a thing. Her eyes widened while she brought her free hand over her mouth in disbelief. When did this get taken? She didn't remember posing in any pictures with Azuma. It took her a little while, but when she thought about it, Kahoko realised this was when she had embraced him to show her thanks for his support. Azuma's music helped relax her and she was able to do a better job with the shoot as a result. The intentions behind the hug were innocent enough, but looking at it now, Kahoko couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. How she had the courage to do such a thing was beyond her, but what embarrassed her further was seeing the look on Azuma's face.

She half expected to see him look down at her in either shock or disgust but instead, he had his eyes closed as though appreciating the moment along with her, and his smile looked very warm and heartfelt. His expression overall was completely different to all his others photos; this might have something to with Nami taking a photo of them without their knowing. It was like she had taken a side of him which he normally wouldn't show others... but why was it, that he looked that way, for her? Kahoko's heart began to beat hard and fast against her chest. Her body temperature was rising dramatically as she felt the urge the urge to pass out. Kahoko brought a hand to her chest and clenched at her school jacket while Nami stared at her with overwhelming joy. This reaction was exactly what she wanted! This had to mean Kahoko liked Azuma more than she was letting on! But a confession was needed, and she was just about to get it from her when the door leading downstairs suddenly opened, revealing Ryotaro.

"Tsuchiura-kun?!" Nami exclaimed in both question and irritation. Could his timing be any worse?!

Kahoko quickly put the photos away then, not wanting Ryotaro to see them as he walked over. Her heart was still beating rapidly from that last photo but his presence helped calm her nerves a little. Looking to Ryotaro, Kahoko smiled brightly at him and said, "Good afternoon Tsuchiura-kun."

"Hey," Ryotaro greeted, "You up to much right now?"

Kahoko shook her head, "Just chatting with Amou-san, right?" When she looked at her however, she noticed Nami's head bowed as though she was depressed about something.

"Um, Amou-san?"

Nami composed herself again and raised her head to show a bright smiling face, "That's right! Just chatting, nothing more ha-ha." She stared up Ryotaro suspiciously, "And what brings you here? Hoping to find Hino-san on her own?"

Ryotaro narrowed his eyes at her words, "It's nothing like that, but if I came at a bad time I can go."

"No no, that's okay, I need to get going anyway. Got stuff to do," Nami got up from the bench and looked back at Kahoko, "You can keep 'those' okay? I'll see you later." Nami waved in farewell to Kahoko then Ryotaro and made her way to the door with an evil grin on her face. Ryotaro's timing was very poor, so she couldn't get the confession she wanted, but it was there, she could see it, Kahoko liked Azuma! But she couldn't tell if Kahoko was aware of this herself, perhaps she still needed to realise it? When she walked back inside and started heading down the stairs, she pondered over Ryotaro's unexpected visit and wondered what he had to say to Kahoko. She was tempted to go back and spy on them, but the fact that he wanted to see her alone meant it was something personal, very personal. Nami's grin widened, perhaps now would be a good time to see Azuma, just to bring things in full circle and see what his reaction would be.

When Nami was gone, Ryotaro sighed with relief and looked back at Kahoko with a small smile, "Sorry, Hino, I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"

Kahoko shook her head, "It's alright, Amou-san just wanted to show me something."

"Ah, whatever is in that envelope right?" Ryotaro observed, noticing Kahoko flinch as she as she covered it with her hands. He smiled a bit and said, "Don't worry; I'm not going to ask questions about it. It's between you and Amou anyway right?"

"T-Thank you; Tsuchiura-kun," Kahoko replied gratefully as she relaxed a little.

"I'm glad she's gone though, as I knew she'd take this the wrong way if she overheard..." Ryotaro trailed off while Kahoko stared at him in confusion. He stared at her for a while and began to feel his nerves wavering. He looked off to the side so he wouldn't lose his composure and went on, "Um... Hino... Are you... Doing anything this weekend?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Azuma was in the library doing some research on the computer. He chose a terminal where he had his back to the wall so no one could see what he was doing while he had a good view of the library overall to see if anyone was to approach him. He tried doing his research in peace but every once in a while, he would be distracted by some random girls who couldn't resist saying hello to him. He would smile and greet them as expected, although he'd wish they would leave him alone.

After getting some school work done, making sure he was well ahead, he began doing some research on business. This didn't last very long though, for it bored him and it was a reminder of what he was to dedicate his life to after high school... which wasn't too far away. He sighed and tried focusing on something else, not wanting to get worked up over something he couldn't prevent. He began to read a bit about modelling, just to help broaden his understanding of it as he was doing a bit of it with Kahoko. While he read about the profession, learning about what was required and what it involved, he began seeing the names of some well known models. This meant nothing to him but he began to browse through some of their work, just to see what made them so popular, but one in particular caught his eye; a model named Hanabi.

This woman started her modelling career at the age of eight. It started off with try outs for a young girl to be the face of this new clothes range which targeted young girls of her age. She was accepted out of hundreds of applicants and from there, her career soared. Azuma noticed most of her photos were of her as a young girl to when she reached her late teens but after that, fewer and fewer photos were seen of her as an adult. The last major shoot she did however was when she was in her early twenties and she was promoting a range of formal attire. As Azuma went through her photos, he noticed she was quite a stunning woman, and he appreciated her all the more because she seemed intelligent and didn't do any photo shoots which involved nudity or promoted something which she wasn't comfortable with. After this photo shoot, she announced that she was going to pursue the career of a fashion designer as this was her ultimate dream and wanted to make it a reality. From there, nothing much was said about her, besides her marriage to a man named Koryu Kirishima which was the son of her manager at the time. But that name...

"You seem to be working hard, Yunoki-senpai."

Azuma glanced up from his screen and noticed Nami standing nearby. He was surprised he didn't notice her sooner, but he smiled in greeting and closed the websites he was on before saying, "Good afternoon, Amou-san, what can I do for you?"

"I've got something here for you," Nami got out from her bag an envelope which had another set of photos from the shoot, this time however with all the photos, including the ones Kahoko didn't do so well in.

Once Azuma received his envelope, he glanced inside to see what it was and asked, "Can I keep these?"

"Yeah, we all have copies, including Hino-san," Nami answered.

Azuma merely nodded and placed the envelope inside his jacket, "Thank you Amou-san, I appreciate you bringing these to me." He went back to researching elements of business again, but after several minutes of reading, he noticed Nami was still there, watching him. "... Is something the matter?"

"Can't you look at the photos now Yunoki-senpai?" Nami asked, wanting to see if Azuma would respond to Kahoko's photos in the way she reacted to his.

"...Why now?"

"Because I'm eager to see what you think."

Azuma smiled, "Ah, please don't worry Amou-san, I'll look at them as soon as I am able. I'm in the middle of studying for our end of year exams right now, so I apologise for any inconvenience."

"...It will only take a moment," Nami persisted, trying not to seem pushy but she wanted to see what Azuma thought. She needed to confirm if he had the same feelings as Kahoko.

Azuma continued smiling at her kindly, although she was tiring his patience as he could tell what she was trying to do. "I would like time to look at them thoroughly, as they aren't just pictures, they will be used towards a magazine which will help promote Kirishima-san's store and be released to the public. I'd want to make sure they are suitable, both in the modelling aspect and photography aspect... as I'm sure Amou-san would like an opinion of her own work, yes?"

Nami didn't expect to hear that, "Oh, well, that would be nice bu-"

"Thank you for being so understanding Amou-san," Azuma cut in as he flashed her a charming smile, leaving no more room for debate.

Nami's eyebrow twitched with annoyance but she held her anger in check as Azuma technically didn't do anything wrong. If anything, she was in the wrong for interrupting his studies and forcing him to do something he didn't have time for, but still! It was in her nature to get what she wanted; it's what made her a good journalist for the press club but Azuma shot her down so easily which irritated her and she couldn't even tell if it was intentional or not. She knew trying to push it further would get nowhere, but that didn't mean she couldn't try something else.

As Nami turned away, she noticed Azuma was writing some notes onto a pad of paper and said, "I apologise for disturbing you, Yunoki-senpai."

"It was no trouble, Amou-san," Azuma replied kindly as his gaze remained on the paper before him.

"...I guess I shall go see Hino-san again, hopefully Tsuchiura-kun has finished talking to her, in private." Nami emphasized the last part subtly and noticed Azuma had stop writing when she said it. She watched to see what he would do next, but all he did was reach for another text book and began checking his answers to what was written in the book; his gentle smile still intact while his behaviour remained unaffected. Nami exhaled with both annoyance and disappointment but accepted defeat, for now, and took that moment to leave.

As she left the library, Azuma's mood darkened as his piercing gaze narrowed on her with irritation. He hated how persistent she was being and despised her all the more for leaving him on such a sour note of information. He thought about it for a while, wondering what Ryotaro would want with Kahoko and remembered overhearing something interesting from a few days ago when he went to get Kahoko after school.

"_I was wondering if, I don't know, maybe if you weren't doing anything later that-"_

Azuma closed his eyes then, realising it had to be that. While he was lucky enough to prevent such a question from being asked at the time, it didn't mean Ryotaro wouldn't try again at a later opportunity, and now it seemed he had his chance. Azuma could feel his insides burn with jealousy, as he could only suspect he was going to ask Kahoko out on a date. 'Just what I needed,' Azuma sighed to himself, 'If Shimizu-kun wasn't enough, I now have Tsuchiura-kun to worry about.' But it wasn't just them, he knew it wouldn't be long till Kazuki and Len tried making the move on her as well. And he felt Kazuki may make his move very soon, as he too only had a short amount of time left before he graduated, which was the same in his case...

While this seemed like a major problem, Azuma couldn't help but smile at the challenge before him. He already one upped Keiichi with his little finger episode, as he had the pleasure of sucking Kahoko's ear which was a lot more intimate. So, if Ryotaro was going to ask her out, the only logical step was to follow suit but of course do a much better job at it. After all, he made it a mission of his a long time ago that Kahoko was going to be his, she was his possession, his personal enjoyment, and no one was going to take that away from him.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Oh my god, finally, FINALLY! This chapter is finally done! I had wanted to kill myself with how much I was struggling with it. This chapter was harder than Chapter 2, as I could not stick with an opening scene that I was satisfied with. I kept playing with these different concepts of Azuma picking up Kahoko from home and every idea I came up with just didn't work for me. It took me a whole week to even get anywhere with this chapter and I spent my whole Sunday just writing this chapter from start to finish. I decided to ditch the whole morning thing in general and went straight into what happened AFTER he picked her up. But when I got to the end, I realised how short this chapter was and knew I could still add more (as you are all so supportive of long chapters, thanks for that :D). It wasn't enough to continue from the end, so I realised I needed to give the pickup scene another shot... again.

With my failed attempts of Azuma teasing Kahoko in some way, I decided I'd just make the whole pickup scene an innocent one, as it was becoming too difficult... But before I knew it, Kahoko ended up being the one that did the teasing – even though she wasn't aware of it. It was so unexpected and so not planned that afterwards, I had to read back and see what I had typed and even made myself laugh (sounds sad I know but it's the truth) :P Hopefully you enjoyed it as much as I did. Hope I didn't keep you all waiting too long. Thanks again for your support and hope to see you again in the next chapter :D


	7. Chapter 07

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story. Hinoki forever! :D

* * *

Chapter 7

The dismissal bell sounded across Seisou Academy, indicating the end to another school day. While students packed up their things and started heading out of their classrooms, Azuma remained in his, merely delaying his departure so he could be alone for a moment. Of course, doing this gave his female classmates the opportunity to say good bye and start little conversations with him which proved to be a nuisance. Still, Azuma tolerated this and waited till he was finally alone to bring out the envelope of photos Nami had given him earlier. He wanted to see them before he went to Hanako's store, although he wondered if he should let Kahoko know what he was doing. He was about to get out his phone but thought better on it as they hadn't made any arrangements to meet up after school. Knowing her, she probably decided to walk to Hanako's store herself. 'Oh well, I'll be catching up with her soon enough,' Azuma figured as he stared over the envelope, 'Now, let's see why Amou-san was so eager for me to see these.'

Pulling out the stack of photos, Azuma noticed his set was first and began going through them rather quickly, only glancing at them for a second as he wasn't interested in his own photos. When he reached Kahoko's set however, he immediately stopped his photo shuffling and began taking in the detail of each picture. You could see the nervousness in Kahoko's first set rather easily. Judging by her awkward poses and strained facial expressions. He wanted to laugh at the lack of grace and elegance she possessed. But there was a certain charm in her shots that prevented him from judging them too harshly. You could see her for who she was and that she was doing her best. This made him smile, as it was so typical of her.

When he reached her second set, the ones where he had assisted with his flute playing. He was taken aback by how dramatically her photos changed. They definitely stood out from her previous set and while she looked more natural and composed, her photos reminded him of her music – beautiful, honest and carefree. It was hard to admit, but she definitely outdid his photos. Not so much in quality but what they represented. Hers were focused on simply being her-self while he was more concerned about pleasing others. This was nothing out of the ordinary, as he did this on a regular basis but... why was it bothering him all of a sudden?

Azuma shook his head at this and let out a little sigh as he went through the rest of her photos, a little more quickly this time. When he reached the last photo, Azuma's eyes widened when he saw the two of them in one another's embrace. He was about to question where it came from, but then remembered her hug after her photo which was completely unexpected and caught him off guard. At the time, Nami must have taken advantage of that moment and... Azuma frowned at this. But putting aside his disapproval, he took in the picture's detail, mainly staring over Kahoko's expression and noticed a change in her appearance compared to the other photos. If he thought she was beautiful in that last set, this shot practically amplified that beauty ten-fold. But why was that? He stared long and hard over her face. Noticing the closed eyes, her cute heart-warming smile and the slight tinge of pink in her cheeks but this wasn't anything unusual. Did it have anything to do with what she was thinking or feeling at that moment? He could tell she was happy, which was a given after what he had done to help her. Relief perhaps, as she didn't end up spoiling her photo shoot after all? Appreciation for his supposed kindness? He couldn't put if finger on it, and the fact that he couldn't annoyed him in some ways. When he averted his gaze from her face, Azuma glanced at his expression in the photo. And when he did, he was astonished beyond all reason. The way he looked...that wasn't him, that couldn't be him. What was going through his head when this was taken? Or more specifically, his heart...? Azuma's grip tightened on the photo, feeling a rush of emotions sweep through him as though the answer was right there in front of him. But Azuma quickly put the photo to the back of the pile and shoved all the photos back into the envelope, not wanting to acknowledge it.

It took a few minutes before he was settled and composed again. Those heightened emotions now sealed deep within the dark reaches of his heart. When he was able to think logically, Azuma thought about that picture again and his reaction, and couldn't help but laugh at the stupidity of it. How a mere photo could make him react like that was beyond him. It was like someone's idea of a bad joke. Thankfully he looked at these on his own, as he knew Nami would have a field day capturing his reaction on camera. He smiled at this, knowing why she was being so persistent now. This also indicated that she had a hidden agenda of her own, hoping to unravel some secret romance between himself and Kahoko. It was the most logic reason for her behaviour, not to mention bringing up Ryotaro and his secret meeting with Kahoko. Azuma chuckled at this, 'Amou-san, if you wanted some suggestive photos, all you had to do was ask.' Although he hoped she didn't expect anything more than that, as that was all he was going to show. He didn't want any more slipups like that particular photo she caught of Kahoko and himself hugging... Not to mention his reaction to Kahoko's dessert, or this morning when Kahoko snuggled into his lap and... The memory of that incident awoke those emotions he tried to bury earlier, causing his body began to react the same way it did this morning. It was like Kahoko was laying on him all over again. He could feel his body temperature rising while a tingly sensation run up his legs and ran a course throughout the rest of his body, making him...

"Yunoki!"

Azuma jumped when he heard his name and quickly tried to compose himself for the second time today. Twice more than he would have liked. Noticing it was Kazuki; he did his best to look like his calm usual self and forced himself to smile, "Hihara, hey, is something wrong?"

"So glad to see you're still here, I forgot to ask you something when I left," Kazuki walked up to him, although when he got closer his expression changed to that of curiosity as he asked, "Yunoki, you okay?"

Azuma was in the process of putting the envelope of photos back into his jacket when he replied, "I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"You're face, it's a little red," Kazuki pointed out.

That made Azuma's eyes widen as he brought a hand over his cheek. Feeling how warm his face was, Azuma's eyebrow twitched with annoyance but this went unnoticed by his green haired friend, thankfully. He was frustrated, and he wanted so badly to punish Kahoko for putting him through such torture, both this morning and now. It made him regret not doing anything to her when he had the chance, and to think he was being considerate at the time too. 'Kahoko, I swear I will get you back for this,' Azuma cursed her in his mind. It was at least fortunate that Kazuki was the one to catch him off guard. As he could be just as dense as Kahoko and right now seemed to be one of those moments.

"Ah, I haven't been feeling so well lately," Azuma replied, purposely making himself sound a little drowsy as he brought the back of his hand over his forehead, "I was wondering why it felt so warm in here."

"You better get some rest then," Kazuki said, "It's a shame though, I was hoping to ask a favour of you. But if you're sick..." Azuma detected a hint of disappointment in his tone. He would have been fine leaving things as is but since it was Kazuki...

Azuma lowered his hand from his face and smiled with reassurance, "I'll be alright Hihara, what was it that you wanted to ask?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Kahoko was waiting patiently by the statue of Lili in the front courtyard. She checked her watch, noticing most students would have left by now but Azuma still hadn't left the music department. She knew he hadn't as his car was still patiently waiting for him outside the school grounds. Kahoko looked at the phone he had given her and wondered if she should try calling him. She hadn't used it yet so now seemed like a good a time as any. But what should she say to him? Did he even expect to see her? Kahoko thought she was doing the right thing by waiting, but since he hadn't asked her to do that, did it mean she would inconvenience him instead? Kahoko paled at the thought, as she would have been at Hanako's store by now if she decided to go on her own. But what if she upset Azuma by going on ahead?

"Wah, I have no idea what to do," Kahoko sighed to herself, "But I can't stand here all night..." She looked at the phone again and began experimenting with different lines she could use, "'Hello Yunoki-senpai, I hope you had a good day. I was wondering if I could catch a lift with you to Kirishima-san's store? As we are going in the same direction and...' Hmm, no, how about, 'Hello Yunoki-senpai, sorry for being a bother but...' Eh, no, maybe, 'Yunoki-senpai, I wanted to accompany you...?' Wait, I can't say that!" Kahoko blushed at her last words, knowing they could easily be taken the wrong way... But would that be such a bad thing...? "W-Wait, why am I thinking such things?!" Kahoko shook her head to clear her mind of those strange thoughts and tried reminding herself, "I am merely waiting out of convenience and courtesy, nothing more... nothing more..."

It was then that she heard footsteps heading in her direction, causing Kahoko to jump as she quickly hid behind the statue on impulse. As she crouched low to the ground, she wondered afterwards why she was hiding. It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong by waiting for Azuma. But even with these thoughts, she made no effort to come out of hiding. She had a feeling she knew who was approaching, as her heart was begining to race with anticipation. But just to make sure, she peeked around the statue to see who it was and sure enough it was the long haired senpai she had been expecting. She watched Azuma heading in her direction, noticing each step he took retained that air of elegance which he was well known for. His hair seemed to dance in the gentle breeze which passed him by, allowing his long locks to shine and shimmer like silk. When some locks crossed over his face, Azuma brought a hand up to brush them back behind his ear. His lips curved into a little smile all the while and his eyes closed for a brief moment, as though he thinking about something pleasant.

The whole scene made him look so serene and elegant which made Kahoko stare at him in awe. How he could be so handsome and so beautiful was beyond her. But then she snapped out of her daze, noticing what she was doing and tried to getting up from the ground. The only problem was, she couldn't. Her legs were locked in place, as though the sight of him had such a big affect on her that it stunned her body and left her paralysed. Kahoko paled at this. Not only did she feel ridiculous but she could only guess how Azuma would react when he found her. He would waste no expense in making fun of her, which made Kahoko panic all the more. She peeked around the corner again to see where he was, hoping he wasn't close by. But when she looked, he didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. Kahoko was surprised by this. She looked back at the gate to see if he had reached his car without her notice but it still appeared to still be waiting for him. Kahoko wondered now if she had imagined that whole scene just now. It would make sense as the way he looked seemed too picturesque to be normal. Kahoko let out a little sigh with relief and found the strength to stand once again.

"Hmm, this is certainly a surprise." Kahoko heard a voice behind her which made her freeze on the spot, "Didn't think you'd resort to stalking, Hino-san."

Kahoko spun around and found Azuma leaning casually against the statue. He was surprised to see her when he walked out of the school building, as he didn't expect she would wait for him. But since she was being sneaky and tried hiding from him, he thought he would surprise her by walking around the statue so he caught her from behind. He didn't think he would catch her so off guard but it was well worth it to see the look on her face.

Azuma flashed a sweet smile at her while Kahoko gapped and quickly tried to explain her-self so he wouldn't get the wrong impression, "I-It's not how it looks Yunoki-senpai, I-I was waiting for you that's all!"

Azuma tilted his head to the side, "You were waiting by hiding behind a statue?"

"I know it seems strange," Kahoko laughed nervously, "It's just... I was waiting for a while so-"

"Oh, you missed me that much?" Azuma cut in as his eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of seductiveness in their depths, "If you need some extra company, you don't need to resort to stalking to get it..."

"I wasn't stalking!" Kahoko yelled as she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, "I was waiting for you so we could go to Kirishima-san's store together!"

"Oh? Is that it?" Azuma turned away, looking both disappointed and hurt, "You only wanted to leech a ride off me?"

Kahoko's eyes widened, "That's not what I-" Before she could finish, Azuma turned to face her again and suddenly pinned her back against the statue. Kahoko stared up at him in shock while he stared back with a dark expression over his features.

"Can't say I appreciate you taking advantage of my generosity, Hino," Azuma started with a deep intimidating tone. Kahoko opened her mouth to protest but was stopped when Azuma brought his index finger over her lips. He leaned in close with his eyes still locked on hers while his finger traced over bottom lip softly. This action made her lips tingle while her breath caught in her throat. Kahoko wasn't sure if she was supposed to be scared or drawn to him right now, but he was making it difficult to process any thought right now. Kahoko stared up at him apologetically, as she didn't intend to make it seem like she would take advantage of him but Azuma didn't look as though he was going to let it slide so easily.

"Do you want to apologise?" Azuma questioned as he trailed his finger down her chin then tilted her head up to his before his fingers began to slide down her throat. Kahoko shuddered at this, as she was very ticklish in that area but she dared not move unless she risked upsetting Azuma further. She swallowed at a lump that was forming in her throat and slowly nodded in response to his question.

His fingers stroked over her neck so softly and delicately that it was sending chills throughout her body. Her heart was racing and it was taking all her strength to merely stay conscious throughout all of this. She watched as he leaned in closer, feeling his fingers trail further down as they now rested by the neckline of her school top, almost suggesting he would like to explore further, "Well, that's too bad, I'm not looking for a verbal apology..." Azuma's lips were so close hers now that she could almost feel them brush against her own as he went on, "... Perhaps, you could offer me something else instead?" He asked this in a soft alluring whisper which made Kahoko's face turn bright red while her body felt as though it would melt on the spot.

It was then that melody could be heard from a cell phone, and it wasn't from either of Kahoko's phones. Kahoko stared up at Azuma blankly while he let out a sigh of frustration and reached into his jacket pocket for his phone, although he made no attempt to give Kahoko any space. Flipping the phone open, Azuma brought it to his ear, forced himself to smile and made sure his princely charm was in place before answering, "Hello? Ah... I'm well, how are you? ... Yes, everything is fine... Hino-san is with me yes..." While Azuma spoke, Kahoko was able to calm down gradually, which was a relief as she didn't think her heart could take her heightened emotions any longer.

"... Is that so? ... Alright, I apologise for the delay... Yes, we'll be there soon ... Bye," The moment he closed his phone, Azuma couldn't help but laugh at the bad timing of the call. He had hoped to get his revenge but it didn't turn out the way he would have liked, it was such a shame as he was having a lot of fun too. The look on Kahoko's face was priceless, and he loved knowing he could rouse such silly expressions from her. But it wasn't just that, it was the other expressions she showed, the ones where she looked at him and only him as moments like these made it feel like they were in their own little world. But what made him wonder was that phone call, if it didn't come through at the time it did, would he really have stopped with his advances? It started off with the intention of teasing her, but then he found himself being so drawn into the moment that it went from being a game to something more deep and personal, to the point where he almost... almost...

Azuma brought is fingers to lips, remembering the brief contact they had with Kahoko's lips. He backed away from her then, thinking if he didn't that he may end up doing something he will regret. Turning away from her, Azuma took a few steps away and said, "That was Kirishima-san, she wanted to see where we were as Amou-san has already arrived at the store. We should get going."

"O-Okay..." Kahoko nodded as she watched Azuma walk a few paces ahead of her. Kahoko remained behind him, although she stared at the back his head and wondered what would have happened if he didn't get that phone call. Was he just teasing her again? She thought this may be the case but his advances seemed a little different than usual. The way he touched her and spoke to her seemed a lot more, intimate and there was an instant where his lips were so close to hers that felt them touch briefly. Kahoko blushed at this, but she didn't want to think too long and hard over it. Azuma was the most deceptive person she knew, it wouldn't surprise her if he did that on purpose just to get her hopes up. He'll probably laugh and joke about it later so she better put it out of mind before she hurt herself emotionally.

* * *

When Azuma and Kahoko reached Hanako's store, they noticed some construction work was happening at the front of it. A sign was being made, and it was going to be displayed above the doorway. It seemed as though the construction had only just started, but they had no way of getting in because of it.

"Hino-san! Yunoki-senpai!" Nami called out from the side entrance to the building, "Come this way!"

Kahoko approached her with Azuma following close behind and smiled in greeting, "Amou-san, we didn't keep you waiting long did we?"

"No it's fine, only got here a few minutes ago," Nami advised, "I think Kirishima-san has your outfits all picked out so you should be able to go right in and change."

"Okay, we'll get right to it then." Kahoko said, although she noticed Nami's attention on Azuma now.

Nami flashed him a sweet yet sarcastic smile and said, "Hello Yunoki-senpai; have you had a chance to look at those photos yet?"

Azuma returned her smile, although his appeared more genuine – even though it was far from it, "Yes I have, I thank you again for giving them to me. They certainly are a work of art, you should be proud of them."

"Oh I am, but it's the two of you who make them so beautiful... particularly the one where you two were in the same shot, right?" Kahoko's heart stammered against her chest at the mention of that last photo, remembering how it looked and how she reacted to it. When she glanced at Azuma to see what he thought, she noticed he didn't seem fazed by it at all. It was like that shot was part of the shoot, like all the others and didn't hold any special meaning.

Azuma closed his eyes thoughtfully, while his smile continued to remain unaffected by her words, "That was a beautiful shot; I commend you for it, especially since we weren't prepared it must have been difficult to capture."

"The unexpected shots are usually the better ones, as you never know what you may discover from someone who is caught off guard." Nami pointed out.

Azuma opened his eyes again, knowing exactly what she was hinting at but continued to smile, "Depends on what you mean by 'discover', as what you are referring to is nothing but your own interpretation correct?" Those words caught Nami aback, as she didn't have anything to back up her claims – besides her own opinion which Azuma was well aware of.

He took her silence as defeat and secretly revelled in his victory. Taking Kahoko's hand, feeling her jump slightly by the sudden contact Azuma said to Nami, "We'll go and get changed now, please tell Kirishima-san that we won't be long." With that, he dragged Kahoko away with him in the direction of their change rooms while Nami cursed him under her breath.

When they were standing front of the change rooms, Azuma let her Kahoko's hand go and opened the door to the room he used previously. Before he walked in, Kahoko got his attention and asked, "Did, that photo mean nothing to you, Yunoki-senpai?"

There was a little pause before he replied, "Amou-san annoys me, and that photo has made me despise her all the more."

"You... don't like it?"

"I never said that," Azuma looked at her, "She had no right to take that, the photo shoot was over."

"Yes but, it was best shot wasn't it?" Kahoko smiled a bit, "I'm not sure why but it really stands out from all the others..."

Azuma agreed with Kahoko on that, but he wasn't going to voice his opinion on it. Instead, to get her mind off the topic, Azuma flashed her a wicked smile and asked, "So, would you like to watch me undress again?"

Kahoko's body tensed at the thought, remembering what happened last time. "I-I already apologised for that. It won't happen again I swear."

"I wasn't asking for an apology," Azuma said, using his dark alluring tone, "If you desire it, you are more than welcome to..." His eyes narrowed slightly, making his appearance all the more enticing and hard to resist. Kahoko stared at him in disbelief, wondering what brought this on all of a sudden. She couldn't deny she was tempted by his offer, but she had to remember he was just playing. There was no way he would really allow it, or at least that's what she kept telling herself.

"I appreciate the offer but no, thank you," Kahoko said, trying her best to remain calm and unaffected by his words. Azuma admired the brave face she was putting on. While this was just a diversion, he couldn't deny he was enjoying this and decided to take it a little further.

"Then perhaps I can watch you undress, after all, you still owe me from last time..." Azuma took a step towards her, causing her to jump in flat panic as she quickly ran into her room. The door was closed and locked within a matter of seconds while Azuma merely watched with amusement. 'I'll take that as a no then,' Azuma thought as he started laughing at her reaction, 'Pity, I was only half-joking...' With that, he walked into his room and closed the door after himself while Kahoko was leaning against the door of her own change room.

She had her hands resting over her chest where she could feel the rapid beats of her heart. She took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves, but when she thought she had relaxed; her mind would linger over the memory of Azuma's half naked body which would send her into another nervous breakdown. 'Get out of my mind!' Kahoko pleaded in her mind. Why did Azuma have to be so sexy!?

* * *

It took some time, but Kahoko finally managed to clear her mind, thanks to changing into one of Hanako's outfits. She noticed from the selection of clothes that were picked out that the theme for this photo shoot was business attire. The first outfit she decided to wear was a short length black jacket with a white collared shirt underneath which had a series of thin vertical black lines running through it about an inch or so apart. The lower half of the garment was a fitted knee length skirt which had a long slit at the back to make movement a little easier. Putting on the black stilettos it came with, Kahoko admired her-self in the mirror and was surprised by how sophisticated the outfit made her look. If she did her hair and put on a bit of makeup, she could easily look in her early twenties. Kahoko felt a little more confident as well, as the suit gave the impression of a successful business woman, although she was having a bit if trouble standing in such high heeled shoes. She thought the ones she wore in the first concours performance were difficult, but the heel on these were twice the height. To test the feel of these shoes, Kahoko took a few baby steps to the door, making sure to walk slowly and carefully. She made it without any difficulty, allowing some relief to rush over her.

When she opened the door, Kahoko noticed Azuma leaning against the wall before her. He was wearing a black suit with a white collared shirt and red tie. Kahoko looked him over and couldn't help but smile at how good he looked.

"You look very nice, Yunoki-senpai."

Azuma looked at her and opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he noticed what she was wearing. His gaze wandered up and down her body, as he took the time to admire the outfit on her. Kahoko was feeling very self-conscious by this, not certain if he approved or disapproved with the way she looked. When Azuma's gaze finally met hers he gave her a little smile and said, "It looks good, however I think you need to do something with your hair. Put it in either a high ponytail or a bun."

"Really? You think so?" Kahoko wasn't expecting that sort of opinion but she smiled gratefully at the advice, "That was strange, I was thinking the same thing earlier, but since you suggested it I'll do it. I have a brush and some hair ties in my bag so it shouldn't be too difficult to do." Kahoko turned and headed back inside her room, although when she did this, Azuma took a few steps and waited by the doorway, unable to take his eyes off her. She may not have noticed but he thought she looked very appealing in corporate wear, especially with the skirt and heels she was wearing. The skirts in school were a lot shorter but they didn't compare to the knee length one she was wearing. The skirt figured her body nicely, as it shaped the curves of her hips while the slit at the back made you admire her long toned legs when they came into view. Azuma was surprised by the way he was staring over her so he tried averting his attention to something else.

When Kahoko approached her bag she reached down for it, unzipped it and began going through her things to find her brush and hair ties. But the way she did it drew Azuma's attention again, as she didn't crouch down or pick up the bag but instead bent over to get what she was looking for. He stared at her as she did this, feeling this sudden pull to be close to her. He walked in and began to approach her slowly without her notice.

"Ah, found them," Kahoko announced as she stood up straight again with her brush and hair ties now in her possession. When she turned to the full length mirror which was propped against the wall, she was surprised to find Azuma standing behind her in the mirror's reflection and watched as both his hands grasped her by the wrists. She looked back at him in shock while he gave her a sweet smile in return. His hands slid up her wrists as he slowly removed the brush and hair ties from her grasp.

"Allow me to do your hair for you," Azuma offered in gentlemanly tone as he slipped her hair ties over his wrist and began brushing her hair for her. He did this slowly and delicately as the brush glided through her hair with ease. He came across a few knots but he made sure to untangle them as gently as he could so he didn't cause Kahoko any discomfort. She was uncertain of how to take this at first, but after a few brush strokes, Kahoko began to relax as she savoured the feel of her hair being brushed. It was so soothing, having someone else do it for you, although she wondered if the main reason it felt so good was because Azuma was doing it for her. Kahoko began to blush at such thoughts but she kept them to herself. Azuma watched her from the mirror and couldn't help but smile as he continued to brush her hair. Since she seemed calm and collected, he thought now would be a good time to ask about something which has been on his mind all afternoon.

"Are you doing anything on the weekend, Hino-san?"

Kahoko slowly nodded and kept her eyes closed as she answered, "Yes, I'll be spending time with Tsuchiura-kun."

Azuma nodded; glad she was at least telling him the truth, no matter how much it displeased him, "And what will you be doing?"

"Tsuchiura-kun has a soccer match in the morning, so I'll be coming to school to watch him play and cheer him on." Kahoko smiled.

"I see, sounds nice," Azuma said, thinking it actually sounded quite boring, "Then what?"

"Shopping, he wants to look around for Christmas presents."

Azuma stopped brushing then, her words catching him off guard momentarily, "Shopping huh?"

Kahoko nodded, "Yes, at least that's what Tsuchiura-kun said. I'm sure we may do other things. But it will be good though, as it will give me an opportunity to look for presents for my family and friends too."

"I see..." Azuma couldn't help but smile at that, although it was taking a lot of effort not to laugh at Kahoko's words. She sounded as though she was hanging out with friends, like this outing with Ryotaro was nothing more than to benefit her own needs of shopping for presents. He could tell this was Ryotaro's attempt at asking her out, but it didn't sound like a date at all, and if Kahoko couldn't see that, it made things all the better for him personally. Still, a small part of him felt sorry for Ryotaro's lack of creativity and he pitied him to a certain extent, but it wasn't enough to wipe away the wicked smirk on his face. Countering him wasn't going to be any trouble at all, how upsetting.

Once Azuma was done brushing, he put the brush in his pocket so he had both hands free to gather her hair. When he pulled it back, he did so with a lot of care as to not hurt her in any way.

"I hope this isn't causing too much trouble," Kahoko suddenly said, "My hair can be a little difficult to work with."

"Not so much difficult, just frustrating as the way it's layered makes it a little troublesome to work with." Azuma said as he pulled a hair tie off his wrist and began to tie it back into a high pony tail, "But it's nothing I can't handle."

Kahoko sighed at how brutally honest he was but shrugged it off as he was doing her a favour, "Your hair would be nice to style, I always admire how long and beautiful it is."

"I might need to cut it when I finish school," Azuma said as he finished putting up her hair, "As I don't think it's suitable for the business world."

"No you can't!" Kahoko gasped as she opened her eyes and looked back at him, "Please don't cut it, its fine the way it is. It would be such a waste, like your music, to give up so easily!"

Azuma stared at her for a while, noticing the seriousness in her gaze which made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Bringing his hands over the side of her face, he turned her head back to mirror and said, "Calm down, I'm not done doing your hair yet."

"But-"

"Hino, if you haven't noticed, this is not something I wish to talk about," Azuma said in a deep serious tone which left no room for debate. He noticed Kahoko slump her shoulders as she complied with his wishes, although from the mirror's reflection he could see how concerned and upset she was over the matter. This made Azuma smile thoughtfully, thinking how nice it was to have at least one person care about what he wanted. But in the end, her opinion wouldn't make a difference one way or another. All it would do is give him a false hope and dare him to dream about a life which cannot happen, and such a thing would break his resolve to even tolerate this life which he couldn't allow. What mattered now was the present, and at least, for now, he had some freedom to do what he wished.

"About your outing on the weekend..." Azuma suddenly said as he began using another hair tie to put her hair into a bun, "If you get bored, you know how to reach me."

"Bored?" Kahoko questioned, "I think I'll be fine. Besides, I wouldn't want to disturb you during your weekend."

Azuma chuckled at this, "If I didn't want you disturbing me, I wouldn't have given you access to contact me." Kahoko felt herself being turned around so she was now face to face with Azuma. He looked over her hair, making sure it looked suitable and smiled at his job well done. Looking into Kahoko's eyes he brought a hand over her cheek and added, "I can assure you, this weekend won't be a problem."

Kahoko stared up at him quizzically, not certain what he was implying. She felt his thumb caress over cheek suddenly which sent tingly sensations throughout her body. Kahoko blushed slightly at this, unable to deny how good it felt. Azuma watched her for a while, as though savouring the feeling of Kahoko's soft skin and couldn't help but lean in closer to her, wanting more and also feeling the need to thank her, for being her. What happened next surprised Kahoko dramatically as she felt his lips brush against her cheek, causing her to go wide eyed as she felt her cheeks flush bright pink as a result. He didn't back away immediately but he whispered something to her before turning away and leaving her take that as she will.

Kahoko slowly brought a hand to the cheek Azuma kissed and felt butterflies dance in her stomach while her heart beat rapidly against her chest. He whispered 'Croyez en Moi' to her, which Kahoko still had yet to figure out its meaning. Part of her wondered if it was some kind of... confession but she quickly dismissed such thoughts as there was no way Azuma would feel 'that' way for her. But what did she feel? She had been denying it to herself for so long that she felt each time she dismissed it; it seemed to amplify the emotion more and more. It was getting to the point where she wouldn't be able to hide it much longer, but she didn't want to admit such a feeling as she knew nothing would come from it. Azuma's future was already set in stone, and she knew there would be no room in it for her... She couldn't burden him with such a thing, as it would only be selfish of her. But how was she to deal with it?

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wah, done at last... That's all I have to say lol. I apologise for not updating last week, I could have, but I wasn't happy with this chapter at all. It's taken me two weeks to finally get right and now I can finally submit it, feeling a lot more satisfied than I was last week. It was good that I delayed the update, as I needed a bit of a break. I've had a lot going on lately which has distracted me from writing at my usual level and the ideas that were popping into my head just weren't working. At least now I have some direction again, and the next chapter will be fun as it should hopefully be based on the little outing with Ryotaro and Kahoko – along with some mention of the photo shoot which I didn't end up adding to this chapter.

Thank you for your patience, I hope I haven't lost any readers because of my delayed update. I felt bad about it, but I thought it would be worse if I updated for the sake of it with a half decent chapter. You have all been so supportive and I've been grateful to those of you who have been reading and reviewing as it inspires me to do my best. Thank you again and hope to see you in the next chapter. :-)


	8. Chapter 08

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story :D featuring a hint of Ryotaro x Kahoko in this chapter... Although we shall see how long that lasts ;P

* * *

Chapter 8

The second photo shoot was over for the night, much to Kahoko's relief. Tonight had been long and exhausting, both in the mental and physical aspects. Physically because of the constant changing of outfits and trying to pose in an 'appealing' way for the camera. Nami kept nagging at her to look more sophisticated and sexy, even though she wasn't good at either of those things. Although thanks to some intervention from Azuma she… No, putting that side. The main reason it was so difficult was because of her mind running loops around the time she and Azuma spent in the change room. She was worried about Azuma and wished they could have talked about what was in store for him when he graduated… But while concerned about that, she was confused about the kiss he planted on her cheek. It was very, unexpected. Not that she hated it, it was quite the opposite. His lips were so velvety soft, and that gentle brush of his lips sent electrical currents throughout her entire body. Her mind felt like mush, her heart felt as though it would burst and her body temperature went through the roof. If that was the effect of a kiss on the cheek, she could only wonder what it would be like to receive a kiss on the lips…

"Wah! Stop thinking such things!" Kahoko brought her hands over her face and shook her head several times, hoping it would stop her from imaging it. Thankfully she was in the sanctuary of her change room where no one could see her behaving like such an idiot. Azuma would spare no expense teasing her over it. He probably kissed her on purpose for the sake of having something to torment her over. That had to be the reason. Kahoko let out a sigh of frustration, knowing she shouldn't think too hard about that kiss… She should set her mind on the more important things, like Azuma's future. While she knew he would have to support the Yunoki Enterprise, there was the expectation of him marrying as well. She dreaded the thought and felt her heart sink with despair. If his fiancée candidates were anything like Ayano, she had no chance... Not that she was hoping she did! But the possibility lingered at the back of her mind...

"No, be reasonable, there is no hope for you!" Kahoko said aloud, trying to convince herself of this. Ayano was very refined and beautiful, definitely someone that stood out from a crowd. She was cute and a little naive but that added to her charm. What good qualities did she have? None what so ever. Just like Azuma implied that time when she was posing as his lover, she was nothing but ordinary. Nothing at all like himself or Ayano, but then again...

_'I didn't say that was a bad thing,_' Azuma had said in reference to her saying she was ordinary back then.

_'Probably the part where she's always straight-forward and always tries her hardest. I admire those things in her.' _Kahoko blushed at the remembrance of Azuma's words, not to mention that kiss he planted on her head...

But then she slumped her shoulders, realising she getting her hopes up again. He was just playing Ayano and herself at the time, wanting nothing more than Ayano to leave him alone. With that in mind, of course he needed to make their 'relationship' convincing. She made no effort to make it believable, as it was too embarrassing to bear. She couldn't even say his first name without adding the standard honorific! To her, saying someone's first name was a very personal thing and she didn't think she deserved to refer to Azuma that way... But there was more to it than that. She wanted to refer to that 'special someone' that way, and yet, the first person who came to mind happened to be Azuma...

Kahoko wanted to hit herself but refrained from such actions. Why did her thoughts keep drifting to the subject of something intimate happening with Azuma? First it was her thoughts during the photo which ended up being more emotionally draining than mentally. Although thanks to Azuma the shoot didn't end up being a total failure but she purposely blocked out that certain 'event'. Their little conversation before the shoot made her focus more on his kiss than his obvious concern for the future. And when she tried thinking about his family business it got her worrying more about his arranged marriage. Even when she tried putting herself down her mind would suddenly give her the false hope that perhaps Azuma might actually be interested in her. Kahoko wanted to laugh at how hopeless it all seemed. She really was a mess. The sooner she got home the better. At least tomorrow she would be hanging out with Ryotaro so that should help put her mind at ease.

"It should be fun. I'll finally be able to relax and not be so on edge," Kahoko said to herself with glee.

_'If you get bored, you know how to reach me.'_

... And once again her thoughts were cut short by Azuma's delusional words. He wasn't even here and yet he still managed to cause her grief.

_'Are you going to get out now? Or were hoping to stay locked in here with me all night?'_

"Yunoki-senpai!" Kahoko yelled with annoyance, "Stop invading my thoughts!" Her mind was becoming her enemy, along with her heart. She needed to get out of here before she started having arguments with herself. Kahoko feared she was losing it big time, and she had Azuma to thank for that. The evil conniving, spiteful yet... irresistibly beautiful and charming... "STOP IT!" Kahoko shouted again as she picked up her things and opened the door. When she did, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she noticed Azuma leaning against the wall opposite her. When his gaze met hers, his lips curved into a mischievous smirk but it quickly changed to a more serene, gentle smile. He heard her, was the first thing that crossed her mind.

"Hino-san, are you ready to go home?" Azuma asked with a heavenly tone which would make any girl's heart melt.

"… H-How long have you been waiting?" Kahoko asked, feeling she had a right to know.

Azuma tilted his head to the side with curiosity, "Hm? What do you mean?"

Kahoko stared at him suspiciously. She had a feeling he had been eavesdropping, but she sensed he was trying to make her confess she had been talking to herself before he gave her an answer. As if she could, it would prove she was going crazy and she didn't need to admit that to someone like him. "Y-You know what I mean… While you waited, did you… umm…"

Azuma's smile widened, "Ohhh, you're referring to the photo shoot right?"

Kahoko's skipped a beat at those words. That wasn't what she was referring to, and he knew that. So that must mean… he did hear her! But that wasn't the point anymore! She didn't want to talk about the shoot or be reminded what happened during it. Kahoko quickly shook her head and raised her hands, hoping to signal the end of this discussion, "N-Never mind! It doesn't matter!"

"Oh but it does, since you're so eagerly awaiting my response," Azuma's gaze narrowed slightly as he leaned in towards her, "I had waited till about half way through your final shoot, hoping by some miracle that you might turn things around. But all in all, your performance tonight, was terrible." He brought his hand to her chin and pulled her head a little closer. Their faces were only an inch or so apart and Kahoko's heart leapt as she stared helplessly into Azuma's cold hard eyes. He was annoyed, that much was certain. But how could she take him seriously when his beautiful face was so close to her own?

"Now, since I gave you an answer, I think I deserve an explanation." Azuma's dark hypnotic voice resonated in her mind, "What was bothering you during the shoot?"

Kahoko merely stared back in a daze. Her breath caught in her throat while she felt the rapid beats of her heart thumping against her chest. How was she supposed to admit it was him? That it was his fault that her mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of him? If he wasn't so confusing and hard to understand then this wouldn't have happened! Especially with what happened at the end of the shoot. And yet… he had such mesmerising features. His face was definitely a sight to behold. You could stare at it for hours upon hours and never grow tired of it. How one could look so beautiful was beyond her… But she still had yet to answer. As much as she didn't want to, she felt obliged to as he did help her out… again.

FLASHBACK

"No no, Hino-san, turn your head this way." Nami gestured with her left hand while holding the camera in her right. "No, wrong way. Turn the other way. Yes that's right. Now look over here. No not your whole head, your eyes. Your eyes Hino-san! Turn them in this direction!"

Kahoko was wearing a grey one piece dress with a short black jacket and wore black nylon stockings with heels that strapped around the ankles. Thankfully business attire didn't need a lot of posing to pull off, but Kahoko still managed to make it harder than it should be. She couldn't concentrate, and Nami's frustration with her wasn't helping. When she tried to focus, her thoughts would drift to Azuma, resulting in her losing her composure once again.

'_Hino, if you haven't noticed, this is not something I wish to talk about.'_

'Well what about me? What if I want to talk about it!' Kahoko thought to herself, 'I know it's not my business but it's not fair on you! You don't want that kind of life, do you? So why do you go along with other people's expectations when all you want, is to do your own thing…?'

Nami was about to tell her off again, as she wasn't paying attention to the camera. But just as she opened her mouth she was caught aback by the tears that were cascading down Kahoko's cheeks. She lowered her camera and stared at Kahoko with both surprise and concern. Hanako, who was standing off to the side was also concerned and wondered what was bothering her so much. She was tempted to cancel the shoot, as Kahoko wasn't concentrating and seemed troubled by something which was affecting her performance. But before she could say anything, she noticed Azuma had already changed into another suit and was approaching her. He was dressed in a navy blue suit which had thin grey vertical lines that ran down the blazer and pants. The collared shirt underneath the blazer was pale blue in colour and the tie was a deep shade of grey.

Azuma raised a hand towards Kahoko's face and rested his palm against her cheek. With his thumb he brushed away one of her tears and leaned in with his lips to brush away the other. Kahoko went wide eyed with this, recalling the way he kissed her cheek earlier. His lips kissed away her tear and brushed up her cheek to wipe away the tear's trail. When his gaze locked on hers, he whispered, "Close your eyes…"

Kahoko blinked in confusion, wondering what he intended to do but after a moment's thought she complied and closed her eyes as instructed. Azuma rested his head against Kahoko's while leaving his hand against her cheek. He glanced at Nami briefly, making sure she was watching; then turned his full attention to Kahoko as he portrayed himself like a concerned boyfriend. Nami blinked at the scene before her, seeing Kahoko like a young woman who had failed at a job interview and Azuma was there to comfort her. Nami quickly raised her camera and took a photo of this, not wanting to waste such a good shot. She was worried about Kahoko, but Azuma seemed to have the situation under control so she focused on the job at hand. Hanako watched the two models with intrigue, interested to see what would develop from this.

Azuma's lips caressed over Kahoko's eyelids as he kissed away any remnants of tears. His hand caressed over her cheek ever so slowly, hoping to give her a measure of comfort before it trailed down to rest against the side of her neck. His warm hand almost burned her skin, but his touch helped to lift her spirits gradually. Having the courage to open her eyes, Kahoko glanced up at Azuma and noticed him staring back with a warm and gentle gaze. He gave her a little smile of reassurance before walking behind her, having Kahoko now the main focus of the shoot. He rested one hand on her shoulder and brought the other to her hand. His fingers intertwined with hers while he rested his chin over her free shoulder. Kahoko was blushing as a result of all this. Not only did the closeness of his face and body put her off but the constant flashes from Nami's camera weren't helping. She was very tempted to run off set but knew Azuma would be angry with her. He was the one leading this shoot now and knew if she didn't obey there would be trouble.

"Bring my hand over your chest," Azuma whispered, "And tilt your head towards mine. Close your eyes if this is too much for you but look as though you want to kiss me." Azuma tilted his head towards her neck and brushed his lips along her smooth creamy skin. He couldn't resist smiling as he added, "But don't 'actually' kiss me… if you can help it."

Kahoko's face went bright red at his words, both with embarrassment and shock. The way he was touching her and brushing his lips against different areas of her body was driving her crazy. The warmth from the hand on her shoulder had seeped through the fabric of her dress, making it feel like he was touching her bare skin. While the hand which was locked with hers made her feel like she was his prisoner, like he had her shackled to him to do with as he pleased. But there was a measure of comfort and gentleness in his touch which showed he cared… to an extent. But why was he kissing her?! She thought the kiss in the cheek was bad enough but now she could feel his lips all around her face AND her neck! Each brush of his lips made her skin tingle and burn with delight. While jolts of electricity would run a course throughout her body, making her shiver and almost sigh with pleasure… But he was just toying with her! This wasn't fair! Kahoko had to hold back from exclaiming her outrage at this. She didn't know what was more insulting, him taking advantage of her in front of a camera or implying she would use this as a way to take advantage of 'him'! But Kahoko swallowed her pride and decided to go along with Azuma's instructions. This was a photo shoot; he was doing what was necessary to produce good photos. She knew she had been doing a lousy job so far so she needed to follow his guidance and not screw up anymore.

When she brought his hand to her chest, she rested it higher than necessary as she didn't want his hand anywhere near her breasts. She could sense Azuma's amusement at this which made her tightened her grip on his hand, just in case. She kept as composed as possible and tilted her head towards his but when she did, her breath stilled while her heart fluttered at the mere sight of him. Azuma's eyes were half open and he was staring at her through long eyelashes. He was smiling at her, and the smile was so sensual and alluring that it was taking everything Kahoko had not to pass out. She was supposed act like she wanted to kiss him now. But as she leaned towards him, she felt this pull like some sort of magnetic force was drawing her closer. She was so caught up in the moment that she didn't notice she was actually going to kiss him. When her eyes closed, Azuma stared at her blankly as she drew dangerously close. He glanced at Nami and noticed how eager she was to capture this moment on film. Azuma felt almost compelled to give them what they wanted… almost. But it wasn't what he wanted. He ended up turning away at the last second, resulting in Kahoko kissing his cheek while a white flash surrounded them temporarily.

"Aw, so close!" Nami whined, "That would've been the best shot!" Her words snapped Kahoko out of her trance. When she opened her eyes and noticed what she had done, her face went beet red as she quickly pulled away from Azuma.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! That wasn't supposed to happen! I don't know what came over me! I'm so sorry!" The way she reacted over such a small thing made Hanako raised an eyebrow in question.

"Um, Hino-san, why are you apologising? He's your boyfriend isn't he?"

Kahoko froze at that. Realising her panic attack had just revealed they weren't actually together. But that wasn't such a bad thing. Hanako shouldn't have been lied to in the first place. At least now she could finally be told the truth. Kahoko turned to her and was about to tell her the true story but Azuma cut in before her.

"Please forgive her Kirishima-san. Hino-san was apologising because she didn't think kissing was allowed in the shoot. She got so caught up in the moment that she almost forgot where she was…" While he said this sincerely, Kahoko felt he was mocking her as well. He just wanted to continue playing her as he was having too much fun with this. The wicked glint in his eyes confirmed it.

"Oh I see," Hanako said, understanding the situation now, "I don't mind you getting a little romantically involved on the set. Actually I would encourage it. You two really stand out when you are posing together. I could almost feel the chemistry building between you as the shoot progressed. I can tell you both really love each other."

Her last sentence made Kahoko's eyes widened in disbelief. Even Azuma was taken a little aback by her words but he tried to remain as composed as possible. Nami had the urge to laugh but she held it in as best as she could.

"I'm also glad that you're back to your usual self Hino-san," Hanako added, "I was worried about you for a while. Is everything alright?"

Kahoko blinked, almost forgetting what happened earlier. She nodded and smiled with reassurance, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry for the way I behaved. I'm okay now, really."

"If that's the case, then please continue with the shoot. We only have a couple more outfits to go." Hanako smiled.

Kahoko was glad that she didn't press the subject, as she didn't know how she would explain herself if she was asked. As she turned towards the change rooms, Azuma watched after her deep in thought. Hanako and Nami may have been quick to forgive and forget but he wasn't. He felt whatever was bothering her earlier had something to do with him. But he kept this to himself, for now, and followed Kahoko to the change rooms. While he pondered over the possible reasons for Kahoko's behaviour, he couldn't deny something else was bothering him. Something Hanako had said moments ago.

'_I can tell you both really love each other.'_

"Love…" Azuma said aloud, as though testing the word for the first time. He knew its meaning and understood what it was, to an extent. But he refused to give into it. All it would do is cause trouble and he knew in the long run, he would be better off without it. And yet… the word made him remember the kiss Kahoko had planted on his cheek. He raised his hand to it, recalling the way it felt. While he allowed it to happen, he was surprised by the way it stirred so many emotions in his heart. Even his body tensed up and reacted in a way that actually… enjoyed it. Azuma shook his head at this and laughed at his pathetic behaviour. This was all a game, nothing but a game… But why did he have to keep reminding himself of this?

END OF FLASHBACK

"I'm waiting," Azuma reminded after minutes of waiting. Kahoko stared at him and bit her bottom lip nervously. She could try lying but she had a feeling that wouldn't work. Azuma was very observant and would pick up on her lie easily. He made it a habit to lie so she shouldn't try deceiving someone who deceived hundreds of people daily. But she knew it would upset him to know she was worrying about him, his future. He never said anything about it because he didn't want anyone to know. She only knew because of his grandmother's words that time, when she was putting Azuma down and saying he would have a negative effect on not only their reputation but his brothers. That was so cold of her and yet he took it without flinching in the slightest. How hard would that have been for him at the time, and even now?

"I… I was thinking…" Kahoko swallowed at the lump in her throat. She couldn't picture it. She couldn't picture what life was like for him; therefore she had no right to pry. So what could she use as her excuse? "I was thinking how soft your skin was when I kissed it…" The second she said that, she thought she would die of shock. That was NOT the excuse she had in mind!

Azuma went blank for a few moments, as he didn't expect her to bring up that little 'incident'. But if she was willing to talk about it, then he would go along with her, "I guess you couldn't help it after all huh?"

"P-Please forget such a thing happened!" Kahoko pleaded with her face bright red. She bowed her head apologetically, as she felt she broken some sort of sacred law kissing him like that. If his bodyguards ever found out, god knew what would happen to her.

"I can't do that," Azuma replied softly. He tilted her head up to his and stared down at her with a deep longing gaze. "I can't get it out of my mind… I was hoping you would be so kind as to give me more…" Kahoko went wide eyed as she was taken aback by his words.

As Azuma drew closer, Kahoko watched with anticipation, feeling butterflies dance in her stomach while her pulse quickened by the second, however they both jumped when they heard Kahoko's phone ring and it wasn't the one Azuma had given her. Kahoko quickly got it out of her bag and brought it to her ear, "H-Hello? … Ah, Tsuchiura-kun! I'm alright, how are you?" That killed the mood instantly. Azuma blinked and wondered how she composed herself so quickly when seconds ago she was under his spell. But now that she wasn't, Azuma exhaled with annoyance but backed away to give Kahoko some space.

While she chatted away, Azuma wondered how Kahoko could forget what she was doing with him moments ago. She made it seem like what they were doing meant nothing to her. Azuma frowned at this. Well, it wasn't like he was going to kiss her anyway. But he was still annoyed that his enjoyment was killed by one of the concour participants. Particularly Ryotaro as he had plans on taking her out on his poor excuse for a date. Yet there Kahoko was, talking away like Azuma didn't even exist. His fists clenched with annoyance, causing his knuckles to turn white. Would it be such a bad thing if he pulled that phone away and smashed it against the wall?

"Eight o'clock start? Serious? Waa, that's too early… Eh? Really? Oh, I guess that makes sense… Haha, no not really…" Kahoko giggled then laughed at something Ryotaro said which didn't help Azuma's mood one bit. His body shook with rage as he fought off the desire to break her phone but decided the most logical choice was to leave, and now before he did something he would regret.

Kahoko didn't notice Azuma's sudden mood change. But when she noticed him storm out of the store, the first thing that crossed her mind was that she would miss her ride home. It would be typical of him to leave her behind. "… I've got to go Tsuchiura-kun! I'll meet you at school... Okay, see ya!" Kahoko quickly hung up and ran after him, wondering why he didn't at least signal he was leaving.

* * *

The ride home was long and awkward. Not a word was said since the moment they got into Azuma's car. Azuma seemed reluctant to bring her home and continued to show his displeasure with the way he glared at her. Kahoko tried her best to keep her gaze on the window but she couldn't shake off Azuma's piercing gaze. She felt half tempted to turn around and tell him to cut it out but she knew that would be adding fuel to the fire. What did she do to upset him? She couldn't remember saying anything that may have annoyed him… It wasn't until she got that phone call that he began to act strangely. But that couldn't be it. It was only Ryotaro and all he needed was to confirm the time to be at school tomorrow. Azuma already knew her plans; she told him before the shoot. So what else was she missing? Couldn't he just tell her instead of burning a hole through the back of her head?

When they finally arrived at her place, Kahoko felt a rush of relief sweep over her. Finally she was home. That drive nearly killed her but she was finally here. While Azuma's driver got out of the car and walked around to open her door, Kahoko turned to the upperclassman and said, "Thank you… for the ride home…"

Azuma gave her a sarcastic smile and replied in a sugar-coated voice, "You're welcome. Have a good night, sleep well and I hope you have fun tomorrow." Kahoko sensed he was wishing the opposite of everything he just said, like he was secretly cursing her from the depths of his soul. She couldn't leave him like this. She needed to find out what was wrong so she could set things straight.

"U-Um, can you walk me to the door, Yunoki-senpai?" Kahoko asked in a whisper. It was the only thing she could think of to get a minute or two alone with him.

But Azuma didn't look as though he was interested. Turning his head back to the window he said in a loud enough voice, "Driver, please escort Hino-san to her door." And that was it. No other words were shared; he didn't even watch as she got out of the car and walked to the door. His chauffer bowed to her, wishing her a good night and walked back to the car to take Azuma home. When the car was gone, Kahoko felt both upset and angry with the way Azuma dismissed her like that. She tried to make amends but he did nothing to indicate what was wrong. Now she felt guilty and at fault for whatever it was and knew her mind was going to be occupied by this all night.

On the ride home, Azuma continued to glare out his window with annoyance. He couldn't believe how stupid Kahoko was. How could she not tell what bothered him? She didn't even apologise for the way she ignored him earlier. If she was going to be like that then fine, he could behave the same way. Of course he needed to keep up the formalities when they arrived at her home, but the nerve if her asking 'him' to walk her to her door. It was only a few steps, if she somehow managed to trip and hurt herself it was her own fault. Azuma let out an irritated sigh and realised he getting worked up over nothing. She wanted to talk, that was much certain, but what was he to say? That he got annoyed that Ryotaro called her? That he was upset she didn't acknowledge his pretend advances? Yeah, that would have gone down well. Azuma propped his arm against the door and rested his head within the palm of his hand. 'I really am losing my rhythm when she's concerned…' He closed his eyes and took a long deep breath to calm himself. This better not ruin his sleep tonight, otherwise Kahoko can look forward to some punishment later.

* * *

The next morning, Kahoko woke up extremely late. So late that she only had five minutes before Ryotaro's game was going to start. She couldn't believe she slept in today of all days when she had somewhere important to be. She slept restlessly last night, no thanks to Azuma. But that was no excuse to sleep through her alarm. Kahoko got ready as quickly as she could. Dressing herself in a long, baggy sleeved white shirt that reached about the upper part of her thighs. Its neckline sat horizontally across the chest and had a few frills around the edges. She tied the white sash it came with firmly behind the small of her back and tied it into a little ribbon then pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans. Slipping on a pair of brown knee high boots, she ran to the bathroom and to brush her teeth and noticed she hadn't fixed her hair yet. She let out a little groan before running back to her room. After she brushed her hair she quickly grabbed her jacket, a scarf and a hand bag and was out the room and out the house around the time the game would have started.

"Wah, I hope Tsuchiura-kun will forgive me!" Kahoko panicked as she slipped on her brown jacket, wrapped her pale yellow scarf around her neck and sprinted for the school.

She arrived at Seisou Academy about fifteen minutes into the game. Kahoko had run nonstop to get here, but now that she was she had to collapse on the spot to catch her breath. While puffing, she looked around to see if there was an area she could sit and watch the game from. Lots of other students from both Seisou and their opponents' school had come to watch the game. Most of the playing field was already surrounded. It must be an important match, which made her all the guiltier for arriving late.

"Ah! There you are Hino-san!" Kahoko looked up and noticed it was Nami. She was dressed casually in a long hooded pink jacket and jeans.

"Amou-san? What are you doing here?" Kahoko blinked, not expecting to see her here.

"Taking photos of the game of course! Another person from the Press Club was supposed to do it, but since they're sick, I decided to fill in for them. Whenever it comes to a story based on someone from the concours, I figure it's my responsibility to write a report on them anyway." Nami smiled and helped Kahoko to her feet, "Running a little late huh?"

"Y-Yes," Kahoko nodded, "Although it looks like there's nowhere to watch from…"

"What are you talking about? You make your own room silly. Besides, I have my own reserved area for the game so why don't you come and sit with me?" Nami winked and dragged Kahoko with her so they could watch the rest of the game together. Nami had left her equipment in a little spot she called her 'reserved area'. While it seemed a little stingy in Kahoko's eyes, she noticed they were positioned in an area that gave one of the best views of the game. You could see exactly what was happening on both ends of the field which would also help Nami if she were to take photos of Seisou's best moments.

"Tsuchiura-kun has been a little distracted since the game started," Nami said as she got her camera out, "I think it's because he's been searching the crowds for you."

"R-Really?" Kahoko couldn't help but blush at that, "It's my fault. I couldn't believe I slept in this morning…" Although even as she said that, there was a hint of irritation as she blamed Azuma for her tardiness.

"You slept in!?" Nami gasped in both shock and amusement, "Seriously? Aw, poor Tsuchiura-kun. Was your mind on Yunoki-senpai all night?"

Kahoko turned red at her speculation, "N-No! It's not like that!"

"Ohhh, so it was." Nami gathered by her bright red face, "What were you thinking about?"

"How annoying he is that's what!" Kahoko blurted accidently. But even as she said it, she quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard her and let out a sigh of relief when she noticed the spectators around her were too absorbed in the game to be paying any attention to her.

Nami couldn't help but laugh at her reaction, "Lover's quarrel huh? Don't worry; it happens, although I'm surprised to hear you say that he's annoying… Perhaps my hunch isn't too far off the mark after all…" Kahoko didn't say anything more as she didn't want to blurt out something unnecessary again. But she couldn't deny Nami's words bothered her a bit. Did she say too much to the young reporter? Hopefully her fears were misplaced, but if Nami revealed to the school what Azuma was like, there would be hell to pay as it would be all her fault.

But thanks to Nami, Kahoko found herself thinking about Azuma again. She thought she had done enough of that last night but that didn't appear to be the case. She still had no idea what set him off last night, besides Ryotaro's phone call, but why would he get so upset about that? Was she supposed to ignore the call? Or tell Ryotaro she'd call later when she was at home? Kahoko had no idea, but thinking about it so much was giving her a headache.

Before she knew it, the first half of the game was over and Nami was nudging her to get her attention. "Hino-san, take this." She handed her a water bottle. "It's Tsuchiura-kun's. He had actually asked me to keep an eye out for you. He was worried something may have happened. I tried to reassure that you'd be okay, but he said if you hadn't arrived by the time the first half was over, he was going to go look for you." Nami winked, "Nice to know someone is constantly thinking about you huh? But you should apologise when he runs over… Ah, there he is! I'll be back in a bit." Nami left before Kahoko could protest. She couldn't see why Nami had to leave her alone with Ryotaro when all she intended to do was apologise. But when she noticed the tall green haired male approach she smiled apologetically and bowed her head as she held out his water bottle.

"Good morning Tsuchiura-kun. I'm so sorry I was late! Please forgive me!"

Ryotaro raised an eyebrow at her, "Hey, there's no need to bow your head like that." When she raised her head to look at him, Ryotaro gave her a reassuring smile and rested his hand on her head of red hair, "You're here and that's the main thing. You didn't run into any trouble did you?"

Kahoko shook her head, "No, I just slept in, unfortunately."

Ryotaro laughed, "It's no big deal, really. Don't look so glum." He patted her head and took his bottle from her gratefully. He smiled and started drinking some water while Kahoko watched him thoughtfully. She was glad Ryotaro didn't scold her or probe her with unnecessary questions. She could picture Azuma being the complete opposite, although she hadn't been on any outings with him to tell if he would be… But now wasn't the time to be thinking about him. She realised she hadn't even watched Ryotaro's game yet so she better pay attention this time around.

When she focused on Ryotaro again, her breath caught in her throat as his appearance took her by surprise. All he was pouring some water over his head and face which was shouldn't have been such a big deal, as he had been running around and was hot and sweaty. But Kahoko couldn't help but be drawn by the way he looked. The sun's rays made the beads of water sparkle against his tanned skin, making his appearance all the more alluring. He was quite a handsome man when he didn't look so daunting and unapproachable. She wondered then what Azuma would look like wet, but she quickly dismissed such thoughts as she knew she'd get carried away picturing it.

"You okay, Hino?" Ryotaro asked as he ran a hand through his damp hair.

"H-Huh? Oh, yes I'm fine."

Kahoko heard the whistle blow, signalling the second half was about to start. She smiled brightly at Ryotaro and said, "Good luck in the next half; I'll be cheering for you."

"Thanks, you better be." Ryotaro smiled and handed her his water bottle. He then ran back onto the field where some of his team mates were waiting.

Nami made her appearance again shortly after he left and looked to have a wide grin plastered on her face. Kahoko dared not ask but Nami voiced her thoughts out anyway, "The water thing was pretty interesting huh?"

"…You were watching?" Kahoko looked at her surprised.

"Oh yes, including your reaction," Nami raised her camera and winked, "I look forward to seeing how Yunoki-senpai will react."

Kahoko began to panic, "Don't you dare show him anything! If you do, I swear I'll never forgive you!" She hadn't done anything wrong, but she suspected Azuma would get the wrong idea if he saw the two of them in the same picture. She didn't want any more misunderstandings, as he was already angry with her over something else.

Nami couldn't help but laugh at Kahoko's expense, not expecting the fellow gen-ed student to get so worked up. "Relax Hino-san," Nami said between laughs. She wiped away a tear and continued, "I was only kidding, although I'm curious about some things now."

"C-Curious?"

"Mm-hm. Did you panic because you 'knew' you were checking Tsuchiura-kun out? Or, did you react like that because you were worried about what Yunoki-senpai would think? You were quite close to Tsuchiura-kun during the concours but recently you've been with Yunoki-senpai a lot. Not so much at school but I'm guessing you've been spending time together outside school. So this makes me wonder… Who is the one you like the most, Tsuchiura-kun or Yunoki-senpai? Or are you taking your time and dating all the concour boys just to see who's most worthy of your heart?"

Kahoko wanted to slap her for even suggesting such a thing, "A-Amou-san! That isn't right!"

"Hmm, perhaps not… But you didn't deny it did you?" Nami gave her a wicked smirk while Kahoko bowed her head. Nami could be just as evil as Azuma in her own little sadistic way.

* * *

When the match was over, Seisou had won with three goals to one. Everyone from Seisou Academy cheered at the game well played. Nami and Kahoko were cheering and clapping as well. It was a good game, a lot more enjoyable than Kahoko thought it was going to be. It was fast paced and you never knew what was going to happen. Ryotaro's skills definitely surprised her. He was so fast and skilled with the ball that two of the goals were scored were by him. If he weren't able to pursue music, he would definitely make an excellent soccer player. Kahoko envied the talent he possessed.

After he had washed up and changed at school, he met up with Kahoko who was waiting for him alone on the soccer field. Nami had left her soon after the match to get a few words from the team captain and coach. Kahoko beamed when she saw Ryotaro and raised her hand, signalling a high-five, "Great job Tsuchiura-kun! You were the best!"

Ryotaro smiled and gave her the high-five she was expecting, "I wouldn't go as far as to say that but thanks all the same."

"What do you mean? You scored two out of three goals!"

"Yeah, but it was a team effort."

"Ha! So modest aren't you?"

"Just being realistic, wouldn't want to walk around with an ego as big as Tsukimori's."

"That's funny; I don't remember him playing soccer…"

"I was referring to the violin, you know that!"

They both smiled at each other and began laughing at the poor joke they shared. They didn't notice till afterwards that their hands were still pressed together and were even intertwined. They both pulled their hands away quickly, like they had been burned by a blazing fire and turned their heads away in embarrassment. After a moment or two of regaining their composure, they each opened their mouths to apologise but stopped when they noticed the other was doing the same. They looked at each other again and couldn't help but laugh at the awkward yet bizarre situation they were in.

"Let's just drop what happened and make our way to the shopping distract okay?" Ryotaro suggested while Kahoko nodded with agreement.

"Sounds like a plan, otherwise we'll be standing here all day!" She smiled brightly and skipped on ahead as she was eager to do some window shopping. Ryotaro followed after her and couldn't help but look down at his hand, the one that had held hers briefly. He could still feel the warmth of her hand as it lingered against his palm. He stared at it for a while and couldn't help but close his hand around it possessively, as though her warmth had been a gift to him. He hoped today would go well, as he was looking forward to spending some time with her. Hopefully the course of the day would progress more smoothly than it did this morning.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ahhhh, why is each chapter becoming harder and harder to write? I nearly pulled by hair out again trying to get this chapter written to the best of my capabilities. Thankfully I have a lot of hair to spare; although I'm not sure if I'll have much left at the rate this is going XP I'm sorry I didn't get to write much about Ryotaro's and Kahoko's little date, or 'supposed' date… But the next chapter will be dedicated to it :)

I hope this chapter was a little better than the last one. I felt the previous chapter didn't live up to the high standards like the other ones did. But it served its purpose and I wouldn't go back and alter anything I wrote. But writing can be so frustrating at times… I think one reason it's becoming so hard is because I stress myself out unnecessarily. I worry that I will let you all down and my story will make a turn for the worse -_- Hopefully I redeemed myself a bit with this chapter. I made it a little longer than usual for that sole purpose.

I thank you all very much for reading and for the support you have given me. To show my thanks in another way, I thought I could give you all an early Christmas present XD This was something I had actually made for myself originally, but since there are so few of us Azuma x Kahoko fans, I thought I should share it with all of you :) I had made a wallpaper based on this awesome pairing – both in normal and wide screen resolutions. If you are interested in seeing it, please access my profile and you will find the links there.

Thanks again, I should hopefully get another chapter out before Christmas :D


	9. Chapter 09

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story, featuring a bit of Ryotaro and Kahoko and including someone else with Kahoko :P I love you Azuma, but you need to work hard if you wish to keep Kahoko to yourself mwahaha.

* * *

Chapter 9

At the shopping district, everyone looked to be in the spirit of Christmas. Stores had their Christmas decorations out with carols playing in the background. Christmas trees were lined up outside stores and along the streets while even street lights had Christmas lights wrapped around their poles. When Ryotaro and Kahoko arrived, they were surprised by how crowded it was.

"Geez, it gets busier every year," Ryotaro sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, "I thought most people would do their shopping a week or two out."

Kahoko giggled, "I guess everyone thought to start a bit early this year… Or perhaps it might have something to do with the sales going on."

"Well, I admit that's what convinced me to come." He looked at Kahoko and smiled, "But it doesn't matter. Just so long as I get what I need then there shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay, where to first?"

"Can we go to a bookstore?"

"Sounds good; lead the way!"

Upon arriving at the book store, Ryotaro began his search for the first present he intended to buy. Kahoko offered to help but Ryotaro advised that he had it covered.

"Why don't you have a look around? You might find something of interest, either for yourself or for someone else. I won't be long."

"Okay, let me know if you need a hand though," Kahoko reminded. Ryotaro nodded and walked to the other end of the store. It was quite a large book store. There were shelves upon shelves of books on the first floor while the second had a range of CD's and DVD's. Kahoko decided to head upstairs as she couldn't think of any books worth looking for.

She began looking through the collection of CD's, only browsing briefly over the latest hits, soundtracks, compilation CD's and others. It was only when she came across the classical range that she stopped to look at each title more closely. She needed to buy more classical CD's, particularly violin ones so she could practice some new songs. Looking at score sheets always confused her, although thanks to her violin lessons she was beginning to understand them a little better. But it was still nice listening to the song being played by a professional first, or someone that had a lot of musical talent. Just like Len that time with 'Ave Maria', the starting point of it all.

Kahoko smiled at the memory and thought about the times she had played it. The most memorable was when she played it during the final concours, and when she played it together with Len. That duet came to a surprise to her a first, but the result took her breath away. She loved 'Ave Maria', but that duet made her love the song all the more. She also loved the quartet where she, Len, Keiichi and Shinobu Ousaki played together. It was a challenge but it was enjoyable playing together with others.

Come to think of it, she had played with everyone except Azuma. She played with Ryotaro during the first selection, 'Gavotte' with Kazuki and Shouko accompanied her when she played 'Salut d'Amour' at summer camp but… She hadn't had the chance to play anything with Azuma yet. Kahoko went wide eyed when she realised this, causing her to drop a CD she happened to have in her hand. She jumped when she heard it make contact with the ground and quickly kneeled down to retrieve it, hoping no damage was sustained. Since the floor was carpeted it helped cushion the landing of the CD, so no damage was made, much to Kahoko's relief.

When looked over the cover, she noticed the musician was a flutist, a man by the name of James Galway. This particular CD was called Serenade and on the back was a range of songs that he had performed. She wasn't familiar with many of the songs but two caught her interest, one called 'Thais Meditation' composed by Jules Massenet and 'Vocalise' composed by Sergei Rachmaninov. These songs were played in the second and fourth selection by Azuma. Kahoko was busy looking for Len during most of the second selection, but she was able to listen to Azuma's final performance while she practiced for hers. She remembered it like it was yesterday, the song was simply beautiful. It was calm, serene and almost hypnotic in a way that it drew you in and engulfed you with such a heavenly sound. His performances always had a way of touching your heart, as they held such depth and emotion. And yet, such a talent was going to be wasted on business. Why couldn't he support his family with music? He could become famous like this James Galway.

"Hino," Ryotaro rested his hand on Kahoko's shoulder, causing her to jump with surprise. "S-Sorry, my bad," Ryotaro apologised as he quickly removed his hand, "I was wondering where you had wandered off to."

Kahoko's heart was beating frantically from his unintentional scare but she took a few deep breaths to calm herself and looked back at him, "I'm sorry, I thought I would have a look at some CD's while I waited."

"Ah, I see. You'll probably find a better selection at a music store though." Ryotaro advised as he peered over her shoulder, "James Galway?"

Kahoko nodded slowly before resting the CD against her chest, wishing she had the chance to hide it, "U-Um, yeah, I was just curious about his music…"

"I've heard of him, but I'm not sure from where…" Ryotaro looked at her with curiosity, "Although I'm surprised you're picking up a CD of his though…"

"I-It's not for me!" Kahoko suddenly said as her mind ran like clockwork to think of an excuse to get it, "It's for Mio, my friend, she's the one obsessed with Yunoki-senpai! Since she loved his performances at the concours, I thought I would get this CD for her as it has a few of his songs on there haha… Actually, I'll get it right now so I don't keep you waiting!"

Kahoko ran off before Ryotaro could say anything. He watched her head down stairs and stared after her with curiosity. 'Who said anything about being obsessed with Yunoki-senpai? I didn't even mention him to begin with...' Ryotaro pondered over this while he headed down stairs to meet up with Kahoko. He had the book he intended to buy, but he wanted to see if Kahoko was going to buy anything. That way they could line up at the counter together… but so much for that idea.

Kahoko was waiting outside when Ryotaro finally appeared with his book paid for. "Where would you like to go next Tsuchiura-kun?" She asked with a small bag in hand, which had the James Galway's CD inside.

Ryotaro stared at her for a while, wondering if he should ask about earlier. She got very nervous and uncomfortable with him questioning the CD, but looking at her now, she seemed as though she was over it. But it didn't mean he was. He felt the need to apologise for earlier, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. But he couldn't shake off her reaction when she brought up Azuma so suddenly.

"Tsuchiura-kun, are you alright?" Kahoko asked as she stared over his troubled expression.

Ryotaro snapped out of his thoughts then. "Oh, sorry, it's nothing. I wanted to go to a sports shop next. You okay with that?"

"Sure, let's go." Kahoko smiled as she walked side by side with Ryotaro. While they walked, Kahoko began to wonder why she bought that James Galway CD. She hadn't intended to buy anything for herself, especially a CD which wouldn't help her with her violin playing. But she didn't regret the purchase. Even though it was bought on a whim, she was very eager to listen to it. It will probably be the first thing she does when she gets home.

'I wonder if Yunoki-senpai has played all of these songs,' Kahoko thought to herself. Maybe some of these songs could be played on the violin…

* * *

When Kahoko saw the sports store up ahead, she turned her gaze to Ryotaro and asked, "What are you going to get?"

"I'm thinking of getting a shirt for my brother, and I might also look around for something for myself." Ryotaro replied.

"Ah I see, well then…" Kahoko trailed off as her gaze rested on something inadvertently. While there were crowds of people around, Kahoko managed to spot one particular person that stood out from everyone else. The individual had long purple hair that was tied back in a high pony tail and was wearing a long black jacket. Kahoko wondered if it was who she thought it was, but it was hard to get a good look with all the people around. She noticed them head into a jewellery store which was situated across from the sports store.

"-no… Hino?" Ryotaro waved his hand in front of Kahoko's face, "Hey, you okay?"

Kahoko blinked and looked back at Ryotaro, "Huh? What?"

Ryotaro sighed, "Don't 'huh, what' me. You were the one that was about to say something but then you went totally silent."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kahoko replied. She couldn't remember what she was going to say, but now she was curious about that person she saw. "Um, would it be alright if I go into that jewellery store over there," Kahoko pointed out.

Ryotaro raised an eyebrow at her request but didn't see any harm in it. "Okay, if you finish before me then meet me out the front, otherwise I'll meet up with you in there."

Kahoko nodded and waved to him before running off. Ryotaro watched her go and wondered what she intended to get. He didn't see her as the type that would shop in a jewellery store but he shrugged it off and headed inside the sports store.

While he looked around, wondering what shirt to get, he began thinking about Kahoko and her strange behaviour so far this morning. Was it just him or did she seem a little out of it, like she was distracted by something? Her late arrival at his game wasn't something to get overly concerned about. But while they've been looking around, she hasn't seemed as into it as he thought she would be. So far, he's been the one leading them everywhere when he thought it would be her. When shopping with his mother or sister, they loved to look at anything and everything they came across, which left him with barely any time to get what he wanted. He thought Kahoko would be the same, as he thought all girls were like that. But at this rate, he was going to get his shopping done before lunch time and that wasn't part of his original plan. Was he doing something wrong? Did Kahoko feel she had to hold back because he was the one that invited her out?

"Ugh, I'm no good at this at all," Ryotaro sighed as he rubbed the back of his head in frustration.

"Eh? Tsuchiura?"

Ryotaro lowered his hand and blinked when he noticed who had approached him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kahoko was standing in front of the jewellery store and was staring at the entrance hesitantly. It could have been her eyes playing tricks on her earlier. She could have imagined the whole thing. But if it was him, would it seem strange of her to follow after him like this? She was here with Ryotaro; it shouldn't come to a surprise if she ran into people she knew from school. And if it was him, that shouldn't make any difference right? …No, it's because it was him that she had to go check. She didn't have to talk to him though. She could just quickly walk in, confirm if whether or not it was him then leave. It shouldn't be that hard… Yet why couldn't she move?

Kahoko took a deep breath, built up some courage and quickly walked in before she changed her mind. The moment she did, she was surprised by how large the store was. There were numerous glass counters with a whole range of rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets on display. There were also window displays along the walls - one side showing off the more extravagant pieces which cost a lot of money. Another end of the store had their sale items and popular pieces which had been discounted for Christmas, although it was still way too expensive for someone like her. Along the bottom of these window displays were a series of watch stands. You could see them through glass cupboards and there were a whole range of women's and men's designs. She was in awe of how beautiful everything looked, but made sure not to look at any of the price tags as it would only depress her.

There were quite a number of people inside the store. All looking to take advantage of the sale going on, but she noticed a lot of women, no matter how young or old were glancing in the direction of one particular individual. She noticed they were admiring him more so than the jewellery. This kind of attention confirmed it was Azuma instantly, as it was one of his well known traits to stand out where ever he went. Kahoko imagined he would be one of the first items to go if he had price tag on him, no matter what the cost.

"Hmm, these are all very nice… Although can you explain the different brands to me please?"

"Of course, starting with this one…"

Azuma was standing on the other end of the store with his back facing her. He was being assisted by one of the jewellery consultants who looked all too eager to serve, much to Kahoko's annoyance. Thankfully a glass counter stood between them, although it didn't seem to stop the woman being closer than necessary.

"Ah I see, although it's been said that Swiss brands are better than Japanese right?" Azuma enquired as he looked over one of the watches.

"In parts and manufacturing you could say that yes. But it doesn't necessarily mean Japanese brands are bad either." The young woman smiled as she leaned a little closer with one of the watches in hand.

Azuma smiled. "Alright, may I look at both so I can compare? I would like designs similar to this one so the others can be put back."

"Certainly, I shall only be a moment."

"Thank you."

Kahoko watched as the jewellery consultant went to get what Azuma asked for, which was good as this meant he was alone for the time being. But what should she do? She had only come in here to see if it was Azuma, and since it was, her little visit here served its purpose. It would be nice to talk to him, but she wasn't sure if he was still angry at her for last night. He seemed in a good mood, but that didn't mean he actually was.

It would be good if they could resolve things, just so she could get it off her chest but since he was making no effort to straighten things out, why should she take the initiative? She needed to remember why she came in here in the first place, and that was to confirm if whether or not she saw Azuma, that's all. She was here with Ryotaro anyway so she should go back to minding her own business.

Kahoko turned to leave, however she hadn't even taken a step before she heard, "Aww, leaving so soon? Don't you even have the courtesy to say hello before leaving?" Kahoko's eyebrow twitched at those words. His tone was heavenly sweet, yet she felt she was being scolded like a child forgetting their manners. So much for walking in unnoticed, she should have known better.

Kahoko turned her head and glanced at Azuma from over her shoulder. He had his full body turned in her direction and had his elbows propped on the glass counter. He was wearing a long black jacket which had gold buttons that ran down the front. He had it unbuttoned so you could see his attire underneath which consisted of a teal collared shirt, which had two buttons undone around the neckline, dark blue pants and a purple scarf which sat comfortably over his shoulders. His hair was tied back in a high pony tail which she noticed earlier. But now that she was facing him, she noticed he left some locks of hair to rest freely over each the side of his face. He gave her a sweet smile, which he usually portrayed with his princely charm but it was still beautiful regardless.

"... H-Hello," Kahoko stuttered, barely able to get the words out of her mouth. She was supposed to be angry with him for last night, yet right now, all she could think about was how good-looking he was. That annoyed her to a certain extent. She shouldn't be so drawn to someone so evil.

Azuma chuckled, "Alright, I'm content with that. You may go now." He waved his hand in dismissal but Kahoko stood her ground. If he had kept his mouth shut she would've left as originally intended, but now that he was ordering her, she changed her mind about leaving. Azuma noticed this and gave her a little smirk, "Can't bear the thought of leaving me after all?"

"I-It's not that," Kahoko tried to explain as she tried thinking of a valid excuse to stay, "I umm, I was wondering what you're doing here."

Azuma's smile widened, "Hmm, so you followed me here just to ask me that?"

Kahoko was taken back. "I didn't follow you!" She tried to deny.

"Oh? So you came in here to buy something?" Azuma asked, knowing all too well she didn't, and couldn't. Kahoko glared, not appreciating him making fun of her financial situation. Not all of them were born into a rich family like him. The nerve.

Azuma was having a hard time suppressing his laughter; the look on her face was priceless. She looked so hurt and offended that he knew it would be almost too cruel to laugh... almost. But he wasn't a nice person so it wasn't long till he gave in and started laughing at her expense. If she was going to lie then she should've done a better job than that. Kahoko was tempted to walk up to him and smack him across the head but she resisted such urges. After all, she had brought this upon herself… And yet, it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. Sure Azuma was making fun of her, again, which was no surprise. But hearing him laugh made it all worthwhile. It was like music to her ears, and she would gladly accept more teasing and insults if it meant hearing it more...

When the jewellery consultant returned, Azuma had calmed himself and was back to his usual 'princely' self. But the smile that lingered had more depth and warmth to it than it did before, as though teasing Kahoko had lifted his spirits somewhat. He raised a hand towards Kahoko with his palm facing up and asked, "Since you're here, would you care to join me?" His words had a certain appeal to them, like he was asking her to accompany him somewhere private and romantic. Kahoko blushed at the thought but quickly dismissed it before she got carried away. She took a few steps forward and reached for Azuma's hand, feeling his warmth spread through the tips of her fingers and up her arm, causing her to shudder slightly. Azuma continued to smile as he brought her to his side and turned back to the counter.

The jewellery consultant placed a tray on the counter before them. It was deep green in colour and inside sat several ladies watches. They were laid out flat and sat vertically next to one other, each beautiful in their own unique way as their styles varied. Their bands were either metal or leather, the dial would be circular, square or rectangular and the numerals along the face would be numbered from either 1 to 12, in roman numerals, or shapes like dots and batons. The only similarity they all had was that the dial was some shade of blue, although Kahoko wasn't sure if this was on purpose or not.

"This is a Christmas present," Azuma explained as he picked up one of the watches, "Although I'm having trouble deciding which one to get."

"Would you like me to explain their differences?" The jewellery consultant offered; her manner now more professional than earlier. Kahoko wondered if it was because she thought she was Azuma's girlfriend.

"Thank you but I think I have the help I need," Azuma answered as he raised Kahoko's hand and brought it close to his face. He began to roll up the sleeve of her jacket to where half her arm was exposed. He folded the sleeve around her elbow so it remained in place and couldn't help but caress one hand down her arm while the other reached for one of the watches. His hand didn't linger but he was definitely taking the time to explore the soft texture of her skin. Kahoko's body began to tense up in response while her skin tingled with delight. She watched as he began to lay a watch over her wrist and noticed the way he examined the watch and how it looked against her skin before proceeding to the next. He kept his eyes down as he focused completely on the task at hand while Kahoko couldn't help but stare over his beautiful face. Her eyes traced the outline of his fair angular face, the slender shape of his eyebrows, his golden eyes which hid behind the curtain of his long eyelashes, the smooth stroke of his nose and the soft curve of his perfectly shaped lips… those lips. How they seemed to draw you in as he talked. How his smiles would make you beg for the opportunity just to be close to them, to touch them, to taste them…

"My offer still stands." His lips curved into a sensual smile which snapped her out of the daze she was in. "If I recall, I said something along the lines of 'I can guarantee you won't be disappointed'. That's a promise…" His eyes rose to meet Kahoko's wide surprised gaze and finished with, "… A promise, which I intend to keep…" He had whispered these words so only she could hear him. But he said it in such a dark, seductive way that Kahoko's face turned a bright shade of red, redder than her hair even. She was already embarrassed by being caught staring… again. But having him suggest… that he would… want to…

'He's just joking, he's just joking, he's just joking...' Kahoko chanted in her head, although as she did this, she was beginning to fall under some kind of dizzy spell. Her vision went blurry and she felt herself rocking as though her legs were about to give way.

"Breathe," Azuma advised as he patted her cheek, showing a little concern but mostly amusement. Kahoko didn't realise she had stopped breathing and quickly took a large gulp of air as though her head had been under water. But doing this so suddenly made her choke and she began having little coughing fit. Could she think of any better way to make a fool out of herself in Azuma's presence?

"Um, is she alright?" The woman asked, wondering if she was mentally unstable or something.

Azuma gave her a reassuring smile, "She'll be fine. She was just surprised to hear what she would get for Christmas." His smile dazed the woman momentarily as she too almost fell under his spell. Kahoko felt him rub her back gently which sent a series of electrical currents up and down her spine. But while she savoured his touch, she began to wonder what he meant by 'get for Christmas'.

"Could I take this one please?" Azuma asked the jewellery consultant. He pointed to the watch he wanted and added, "May I also have it gift wrapped, if it won't be too much trouble?"

"O-Of course not. I won't be long." The lady smiled brightly. She took the tray of watches and went to put them away before processing the one Azuma had chosen.

Azuma looked back at Kahoko and said, "Thank you for your assistance. It was very much appreciated." He had a humorous glint in his eyes which made Kahoko all the more embarrassed.

"D-Did you mean what you said?" Kahoko whispered.

"Hm?"

"A-About... C-Christmas..." Kahoko tried to explain. Just because she was choking to death, doesn't mean she was totally oblivious to what was being said. What was Azuma intending to give her? Was it one of those watches? Or was it a kiss which he oh-so-kindly teased her about which nearly killed her? She didn't think he would actually kiss her but she needed to make sure as her heart and mind wouldn't be able to take the suspense.

"I don't think I understand the question," Azuma replied innocently, "Would you mind asking again but with more detail this time?" Kahoko glanced at him and noticed the wicked glint in his eyes. He knew exactly what she meant but wanted her to say it properly. Like she would, or could or that matter! She stopped breathing only seconds ago no thanks to him! She wasn't going to subject herself to it again... But how was she going to get her answer otherwise?

"Here you are." The woman came back with the watch boxed and gift wrapped. "How will you be paying today?" Azuma smiled and walked with her to pay for the watch while Kahoko stayed behind, needing a moment to relax and get her thoughts back together. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, so many things which nagged at her mind and sent her emotions through wild roller coaster rides. Last night, why was he upset with her? Did he end up forgiving her? And why was he here? He failed to mention he was coming to the shopping district when she brought it up yesterday. Who was that watch for? And why did he bring up the kiss subject again? Kahoko felt her cheeks flush red and quickly brought her hands up to cover it. She needed some air, and she needed it badly.

She turned to head out the store but stopped when her eyes caught the sparkle of some rings to her right. Kahoko glanced at the glass counter, knowing she couldn't afford a single thing in there but decided a quick look wouldn't hurt. There were rows of diamond rings and a few coloured ones within the mix: orange, pink and blue. Some of the rings were flat with the stones set inside the bands, while others sat like a crown on top of the ring. Kahoko assumed these were wedding rings and engagement rings, judging by the styles and the exaggerated prices – which she thought was such a waste of money.

"See anything you like?"

Kahoko jumped when she noticed Azuma standing next to her. She quickly raised her hands and shook her head in denial, "I was just looking, nothing more."

"Is that right?" Azuma chuckled, "Let me guess, are the prices throwing you off?"

Kahoko nodded slowly, "I'm just surprised that things like this are bought. It's just a little stone on a ring."

Azuma raised an eyebrow at her statement, "I never would have expected to hear that from a woman. But then again, it's you, so it shouldn't surprise me."

Kahoko glared, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Azuma smiled and shook his head, "I'll explain it to you then." Noticing a different jeweller about to approach them, Azuma waved them over and asked if they could look at some of the rings. Kahoko went wide eyed at this and was about to head for the door but Azuma grabbed her by the arm, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I don't need to look at these, really," Kahoko pleaded but Azuma didn't budge.

He pulled her back to him and began looking over the various styles with her, "What do you prefer, yellow gold or white gold?"

"... White gold?" Kahoko stared at him blankly, "Don't you mean silver?"

Azuma rolled his eyes but smiled all the same, "There is such a thing as white gold. Of course it's man made and requires a little more care and maintenance than yellow gold but it's much more precious and longer lasting than silver. However, platinum is stronger than gold so that would be my preference if you desired silver over yellow gold." Kahoko was surprised by his in-depth explanation on gold. Coming from a family of flower arrangement, she didn't expect to hear so much about jewellery from him.

"Um, what are the other stones?" Kahoko asked, referring to the coloured ones which sat among the diamonds. The jeweller took that as her queue to respond but Azuma answered before her, "They are diamonds as well. It's like sapphires, you expect blue but they can come in different colours like green, pink, yellow..." He looked over the coloured diamonds and added, "They aren't common like the usual clear diamond you expect, especially the pink ones. They are hard to come by which puts their price up lot higher, depending on size, colour and clarity." Kahoko blinked with amazement. Even the jeweller was caught aback by how much he knew.

Kahoko watched as Azuma chose a ring from the selection he was given and raised her hand so he could slip it over her ring finger. "I'm sure you're already aware that the engagement ring symbolizes the everlasting union between two people. But do you know why the ring is placed on the left hand over your ring finger? It is believed that a certain vein in that finger runs directly to your heart, the Greek term for it is the _Vena Amoris_. Coloured stones were originally the gem of choice back in the eighteenth and nineteenth century – gems like rubies, sapphires and emeralds. But the diamond became the gem of preference because it's the strongest and hardest mineral on Earth, thus symbolizing eternal love..." Azuma looked into Kahoko's eyes and went on, "Love, devotion and commitment is what's represented in these rings. I know you think money could be better spent on other things but, could you honestly refuse such a gift from the person you loved, especially when it represented so much?"

Kahoko was speechless. She didn't know what to say or how she was supposed to feel. What does one say after told something like that? Not only was it about something very deep and meaningful but Azuma also played out the moment as though he...

"This is... bizarre," Azuma said after a moment of examining the ring on Kahoko's finger. He had chosen a random ring without much thought being put behind its selection, but the ring he chose had a pink solitaire diamond with the stone set between a gold band which was half yellow and half white gold. The design wasn't what threw him off though; it was the fact that it fit her finger perfectly. He didn't know her size and it was usually difficult to find a ring that fit right the first time without any resizing or special ordering. The ring suited her though. Not that it mattered much in his case. It wasn't like he could ever buy her anything like this...

But putting that aside, their encounter today was certainly unexpected. The shopping district was very large and had several streets which ran through it, along with the hundreds upon hundreds of shops among them. If their whole school came here for a field day and everyone split into small groups, there would be a strong chance you wouldn't come across another group unless you pre-arranged to meet. With Christmas only weeks away, there were more people around than usual, so what were the chances of them crossing paths like this? He only got here a couple of hours ago as well and it wasn't even noon yet. Was it just a coincidence, both the ring and their encounter?

Azuma glanced up at Kahoko and noticed she was staring down at the ring. Her face was a little flushed which he never grew tired of seeing. He loved knowing he had such an effect on her. But he wanted to see her eyes, those eyes which reflected her emotions like a mirror. He brought a hand up and cupped her chin so he could tilt her head up to his. Kahoko's eyes locked on his and the moment they did, Azuma was taken aback by how they looked. Her golden eyes glowed and almost shimmered like the diamond on her hand. In their depths was a warmth which touched his heart and filled his body with an indescribable feeling which made him crave and desire more. It was very tempting to fulfil his promise to her right here and now, but he needed to remember that they weren't alone. And by the looks of things outside the store, they were going to expect company any moment now.

"Well, I hope you learnt something, Hino-san," Azuma said as he removed the ring from her finger. He handed the ring back to the jewellery consultant and thanked her for her assistance – even though her expertise weren't required in this case. Kahoko felt reluctant to give it back, especially after Azuma's in depth explanation of the engagement ring. She was so drawn into the moment that, if Azuma actually proposed to her right there and then, she might have actually said yes. The thought made her face turn red again. But he was right about her learning something from this.

Not only did his explanation about the engagement give her a brief overview of its history and significance but it was Azuma that surprised her most of all. It was the way he explained the ring's meaning. He was very passionate about it, as though he truly believed in what it represented. But it was strange that he knew so much about it, especially when he would be forced to marry. Remembering his attitude when they talked briefly before Ayano's visit, he didn't seem to care one way or another about marriage. It was almost as though he didn't want it at all, but that wasn't really the case was it?

"Kaho-chan!"

Kahoko heard her name being called from outside the jewellery store. She turned to see who it was, but found in that instant a pair of arms wrap around her back as she was pulled into a tight bear hug.

"Kaho-chan! It's so great to see you! I was surprised when I ran into Tsuchiura but when I heard you were here too, I just couldn't believe it!" Kazuki gushed as he hugged her more.

"H-Hi… hara-… sen… pai..." Kahoko gasped, barely able to breathe. She didn't think her being here was that much of a surprise but she was glad Kazuki was being his usual happy self, perhaps more so than usual now thinking about it. But was the hug really necessary? And was it just her or was he holding her longer than required?

"Hihara-senpai..." Ryotaro growled as he stood behind the upperclassman. He grabbed him by the back of his jacket and said, "You can let go of Hino now..."

"Huh?" Kazuki looked down at Kahoko and noticed she was staring up at him blankly. He quickly let go and backed away in embarrassment. "Ah, I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me; I got so happy that I just couldn't help myself!" His cheeks were a little flushed, but he tried laughing off his behaviour as though his actions meant nothing serious. Ryotaro and Azuma knew better though. Ryotaro had let go of Kazuki's jacket but he still looked irritated by his forwardness. He watched Kahoko like a hawk, hoping for an opportunity to take her away as soon as possible. Azuma was his usual calm self, his face giving nothing away. But underneath it all, he was seething in rage – both with Kazuki's actions and Ryotaro merely being here officially with Kahoko.

Kahoko was oblivious to the tension building between the three boys but smiled with reassurance at Kazuki's apology. "It's okay Hihara-senpai, I'm happy to see you too." She didn't want him getting upset over something so minor. No harm was done so apologies weren't necessary. Kazuki beamed with delight while Ryotaro looked away and Azuma's eyebrow twitched. Why was she happy to see Kazuki and not him?

"Thank you, Kaho-chan, I'm glad to hear that." Kazuki smiled, "I heard you came here with Tsuchiura. I met up with him in the sports shop just across the street."

"Ah okay, I'm assuming you and Yunoki-senpai came here together?" Kahoko enquired.

"That's right; I thought I'd make a start on some Christmas shopping. I invited Yunoki yesterday, but if I knew you guys were coming too, I would have asked if you wanted to go together."

There was a brief pause from Kahoko. "…Yesterday, did you say?"

Kazuki nodded. "Yeah, I invited him just after school."

Kahoko blinked as some pieces of the puzzle began to fall in place. Yesterday when she was waiting for Azuma to leave the music department, she thought it seemed strange that he left so late – especially when they had the photo shoot to get to. Then there were his strange words when he was styling her hair in the change room:

'_About your outing on the weekend... If you get bored, you know how to reach me.'_

'_I can assure you, this weekend won't be a problem.'_

…Of course there wouldn't be a problem; he had planned on coming here all along! Why didn't he tell her instead of keeping it a secret like it was some kind of game? Wait, she just answered her own question. It was a game to him, and once again it involved her in some way. Kahoko turned her head towards Azuma and narrowed her eyes on him – there had to be a reason why he kept it a secret. Azuma on the other hand pretended not to notice.

Kazuki turned to look at his long haired friend then. "Ah that's right, you came in here to get a present for Miyabi-chan didn't you? Did you find anything?"

Azuma nodded, "Yes, I got a watch with Hino-san's assistance. How did you go?"

"I got something better than expected! The sports store was having a two for one sale on shirts. I was looking at some when Tsuchiura walked in. Since we both found shirts our brothers would like, we decided to split the cost on one so we got an awesome deal out of it!" Kazuki explained excitedly.

"It wasn't all that special," Ryotaro said with a hint of annoyance. He wasn't annoyed at Kazuki's words so much; it was just his presence, along with Azuma's.

Kazuki didn't pick up on his tone but continued to gush, "I thought it was! The best I assumed I'd get was a wrist band! I really hope my brother likes the shirt, it should definitely surprise him as I doubt he'd expect anything like this from me."

Kahoko giggled. "I'm sure he'll love it." Her gaze softened then as she glanced at Azuma from the corner of her eye. So that watch was for someone else after all. At least it explained why all the watch dials were blue. It must be Miyabi's favourite colour. She didn't think she did a lot to help with its selection but it was nice of Azuma saying so anyway, even if it was possibly a lie. But still, she couldn't help but envy Miyabi for not only having Azuma has a brother but also being close to him in general.

It was then that Kahoko felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, causing her to flinch at first but she relaxed when she noticed it was only Ryotaro. But then she began to wonder what his intentions were behind it.

"Well, it was nice seeing you both, Hihara-senpai, Yunoki-senpai, but we need to go," Ryotaro advised as he turned Kahoko towards the exit of the jewellery store. Kahoko was surprised that Ryotaro intended to leave so abruptly. She wanted a chance to say goodbye properly but it didn't look like she would get the chance.

Kazuki looked as though he wanted to stop them but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Azuma noticed this and glared in Ryotaro's direction, particularly the arm that was around Kahoko's shoulders. Why doesn't she say or do anything to make him back off? Her naivety was really starting to drive him up the wall. Sometimes he wondered if she did this on purpose just to torment him. But whatever the case, they were leaving and he couldn't let that happen.

"Were we interrupting something?" Azuma suddenly asked, "Are you both on a date?"

Ryotaro stopped in mid-stride at Azuma's words, as it was something he didn't expect to hear. He tried thinking of a response but he wasn't sure what to say. This little outing of theirs wasn't technically a date, but he wanted to spend time alone with Kahoko and didn't want either of the upperclassmen around. If he pretended it was a date, would that mean Azuma and Kazuki would go back to minding their own business?

"No we're not!" Kahoko answered suddenly as she pulled away from Ryotaro, "We're just here looking for Christmas presents, that's all!" Kahoko stared at Azuma with panic in her eyes. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want him getting the wrong idea about their outing.

Ryotaro was surprised by the way she denied Azuma's assumption so strongly, but she didn't have to say it like it was a bad thing.

Azuma smiled at her response. He had hoped Kahoko would come out and say something like that. Ryotaro had brought this upon himself so he didn't feel the least bit guilty. It was hard not to laugh at his expense though, especially with the way Kahoko pulled away from him. "If that's the case then why don't we look around together? I'm sure it will be 'a lot' more enjoyable this way." He glanced at Kazuki and smiled, "You don't mind do you Hihara?"

Kazuki smiled brightly, "I don't mind in the slightest!"

Azuma knew he would say that, after all, if it meant spending time with Kahoko, why wouldn't he jump at the opportunity?

"That sounds like fun," Kahoko agreed as she looked up at Ryotaro. "Is it okay with you Tsuchiura-kun?" Ryotaro was silent for a moment, as he contemplated saying no. But when he glanced down at Kahoko, noticing how eager she was to join them, he sighed and slowly nodded his head in defeat. If it was what she wanted, who was he to refuse?

"Alright!" Kazuki cheered as he rushed to Kahoko's side and took her by the hand, "There is this awesome store I want you to look at Kaho-chan!" Before Kahoko could respond, she yelped when Kazuki dragged her out the store with him. She glanced back quickly to see if Ryotaro, or more specifically Azuma, were following after them but they remained where they were.

Ryotaro watched after them and sighed. He rubbed a hand through his short green hair and noticed Azuma was about to follow after them. "Yunoki-senpai," Ryotaro got Azuma's attention and watched as he turned to look at him. "Was there a reason you wanted to hang out with us?"

Azuma tilted his head to the side, pretending to look confused by Ryotaro's question, "We're all friends aren't we?"

"Yeah but, I mean, well…" Ryotaro didn't know how to express what he was feeling in a nice way. He was annoyed and very specifically with Azuma. Finding him alone with Kahoko was bad enough, but it was also the way he merged their groups together that got to him. He didn't intentionally do anything wrong but why did Ryotaro sense there was more to it than met the eye? Come to think of it, Kahoko had wanted to visit the jewellery store earlier as well. He thought it was strange at the time but he didn't bother asking why. Now he wished he had, because now he wondered if it had something to do with Azuma, or if it was purely coincidental.

Azuma knew what Ryotaro was trying to say. He knew from the very beginning what his intentions were with Kahoko, but what was he expecting out of him? Understanding? Support? How amusing. Perhaps he needed some reminding as to whose fault this really was. "Hino-san seemed more than happy to have us around." Azuma said which drew Ryotaro out of his thoughts, "If her decision was misplaced then you should have said something sooner... Although I didn't think we were such bad company." Azuma made a sad expression. "I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused." '…But don't expect me to mean it.' He thought to himself.

"Ah, no, I'm sorry Yunoki-senpai," Ryotaro said as he began to feel guilty. He couldn't expect Azuma or Kazuki to read his mind. He should have said something sooner, just like Azuma said. "Never mind, forget I said anything. We better catch up to the others before we lose them." Ryotaro walked out the store with Azuma following slowly after him, his supposed sadness now replaced with a look of satisfaction. He wouldn't be totally satisfied until he had Kahoko to himself, but first, she was going to pay for allowing Kazuki and Ryotaro touch her in ways he didn't approve. He had already warned her about this, but it seems she will need a little reminding.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Another long chapter *sigh* and I didn't even get to cover half of what I wanted lol. Ah well, more fun to come in the next chapter then. I had planned before hand what I wanted to have happen on this little outing with Ryotaro and Kahoko but strangely none of it came into this chapter. It was replaced by other stuff that I didn't even have planned lol. The engagement ring part was definitely unexpected – in my case anyway. Although it was probably something you all saw coming huh? I was too busy thinking about the watch lol. But how was Azuma's explanation on engagement rings? Didn't it just make you want to pounce him and scream, 'I do!'? XP

I'll explain later how Azuma knows so much about engagement rings. I know it probably seems strange that he knows so much about them but to be honest – Azuma, to me, comes across as someone that knows nearly everything so I didn't think it was totally misplaced. It's his feelings which he's clueless about lol – although I think he's beginning to understand jealousy quite well right now XP Not only does he have Ryotaro to concern him-self with but now Kazuki hehe. Ah, the joys of love.

By the way, for those of you who have been trying to access the wallpapers I made, located under my profile, the links are correct but you can't click on them. You need to copy and paste the link into the URL to access them. It's a pain I know but this website doesn't allow direct links. Copy and pasting the link does work though, I tried it myself so this time you should be able to access the wallpapers without any hassle.

Anyway, enough from me, this chapter was long enough as it is, you don't need to sit and listen to me rant XP I do enough of that when I reply to your reviews lol. Thank you again for reading and supporting me. Merry Christmas to you all and see you in the next chapter!

P.S - It's been officially announced that there will be a Season 2 for La Corda d'Oro, coming 2009 XD *celebrates*


	10. Chapter 10

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story, featuring a tiny bit of Ryotaro x Kahoko and Kazuki x Kahoko… but mostly Azuma x Kahoko, so don't expect too much from the others as Azuma won't allow that ;)

* * *

Chapter 10

After browsing through a few stores, with not much bought between the four of them, Kahoko and the three guys decided to have lunch. Only trouble was they all craved something different. Kazuki was all up for fast food and Ryotaro wanted something healthier like sandwiches or rolls. Azuma didn't say anything so Kahoko assumed he didn't mind one way or the other – although she couldn't picture him eating fast food.

"Well, why don't we walk around and see what there is to choose from?" Kahoko suggested as she didn't mind where they ate.

"That's a great idea Kaho-chan!" Kazuki exclaimed. "Let's go this way!" Kazuki pointed down one end of the street and took Kahoko's hand so he could lead the way. Kahoko went wide eyed at first, as his actions took her by surprise. She didn't realise how cold her hand was until Kazuki's warmth spread through her fingers, around her hands then up her arm, causing her to shudder slightly. They only managed a couple of steps before Ryotaro took Kahoko by the arm. He held her in place which stopped Kazuki from advancing any further ahead.

"You're going the wrong way Hihara-senpai," Ryotaro raised his free hand and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "There are more places to eat at in this direction."

Kazuki looked back at him quizzically. "Really? I could've sworn it was this way."

"It's not." Ryotaro put simply as he pulled Kahoko away from him.

"I don't know," Kazuki pondered as he looked back in the direction he was about to go. "I'm convinced it's this way." He took Kahoko's hand again and tried pulling her away from him but Ryotaro wouldn't budge.

"It's this way Hihara-senpai…" Ryotaro said as politely as he could, although you could sense his irritation growing.

"And I'm telling you it's this way!" Kazuki said with his voice getting louder with each exchange.

This started a near argument between the two boys as they were both convinced of their directions. This reminded Kahoko of their argument back at Shouko's villa. They both argued over who should be on the sofa, and while they had good intentions behind it, either one simply couldn't accept the other having their way. It wasn't until that pillow incident happened that it sort of put an end to their argument but… Well, there was no need to remember what else happened. But the fact was that they didn't need to be so stubborn. And why did she have to stand in the middle of this? She would have liked to of backed away but Ryotaro had her arm and Kazuki had her hand. She didn't want to make matters worse but this was making her extremely uncomfortable.

Azuma kept out of the exchange between the two green haired boys. But watching the way they tried to keep Kahoko to themselves was irritating him to no end. They might have thought they were being subtle about it but it was clearly obvious what they were doing. And there Kahoko was, once again not sensing the meaning behind their actions or doing anything about it! This was what bothered him most of all. She had to know what was going on. Their behaviour wasn't natural for one, and they paid more attention to her than their own Christmas shopping. Sometimes he wondered if Kahoko pretended not to notice so she wouldn't hurt their feelings. He bet if one of them asked her out, she would probably say yes even if she didn't feel the same way... This thought increased Azuma's frustration all the more. His hands began to tremble in rage so he clenched them into fists by his side in order to calm himself. But all this did was give him the urge to punch someone so he gently eased his fingers back out and tried with all his discipline and might to remain unaffected – without succeeding. But thankfully no one was paying attention to him to notice.

"U-Um," Kahoko was worried about interrupting but she didn't want this argument to get any worse. "I have a place in mind, if you don't mind going there…" This immediately stopped the argument as each of the boys turned their attention towards her.

* * *

"Café Ruba ato huh?" Ryotaro questioned as he admired the sign outside the café.

"Never been here before," Kazuki said as he stared at the sign also.

Kahoko wondered now if she made a mistake suggesting this place. It was where she and Keiichi went to get refreshments after they went to an instrument exhibition, which was held at the museum. She only had drinks at the time but their food looked and smelt delicious, so she promised herself to come here again but never had the opportunity till now. Although seeing the way Ryotaro and Kazuki stared blankly at the café, she wondered if it didn't suit their taste.

"What a nice idea, Hino-san," Azuma said kindly which drew everyone's attention. "This place is bound to have a variety of foods to choose from. I'm sure Tsuchiura-kun and Hihara will find something they both want here." Both boys turned to look at Kahoko then. At first they had the same blank expressions like earlier but then Kazuki suddenly beamed in happiness while Ryotaro smiled thoughtfully.

"Wow, you were thinking about us, really?" Kazuki smiled brightly. "In that case, I'm sure this place will be great!"

Kahoko blinked and stared at Kazuki quizzically. She was thinking about them? Really? Kahoko thought she only suggested this place because of personal reasons. But now thinking about it, cafés always did have a wide variety of foods to choose from. Ryotaro should be able to get something healthy while Kazuki should be able to get something equivalent to fast food. Azuma must have realised that the moment they arrived.

"Well, let's go inside." Kahoko smiled. "I'm sure everyone is hungry."

Kazuki was the first to walk in. Ryotaro went to follow after him, but stood by Kahoko's side for a moment to give her head a little rub. Kahoko glanced at him and noticed Ryotaro smile kindly before walking into the café.

"How thoughtful of you indeed…" Azuma murmured to himself as he thought about what Kazuki said moments ago. "I'm so glad you have their interests in mind, Hino." His mood darkened immensely from this.

Kahoko went to follow after the two boys with a bright smile on her face. She was relieved that Ryotaro and Kazuki seemed happy with her choice. Thanks to Azuma's input, their opinion on the café changed dramatically.

Before opening the door she turned to look back at Azuma. "Thank you, Yunoki-senpai," she said gratefully and went on to ask, "Have you been here before?"

Azuma glanced at her and forced himself to smile, "No, but you suggesting it for everyone is so typical of you..." While he said this in his kind, light hearted tone, Kahoko could sense the sarcasm behind it.

"Are you… alright, Yunoki-senpai?" Kahoko asked worriedly. Did she say something to upset him again?

Azuma's smile turned to a sinister one then. 'No, of course I'm not alright! Did it take you this long to notice?!' This was almost like a repeat from last night. From the dozens of girls he always put up with at school, how was Kahoko always able to get him so emotional?

He was so tempted to yell at her for it, along with being such an idiot, but that was not him, he wasn't like that. And even if he wanted to, he knew deep down it wouldn't achieve anything. Her naivety was part of her personality and it was usually cute, if it didn't involve the other guys. Oh well, she will realise her errors soon enough and will make it up to him, one way or another. Such thoughts helped Azuma gain better control of his emotions. He quickly changed his smile to a more pleasant one before she grew suspicious of his mood.

"I'm being lenient," Azuma replied, which he knew would make no sense to her. "Let's go in before the others wonder where we are." He walked to the entrance of the café and held the door open for Kahoko. She merely watched him with curiosity, wondering about his response and if he really was alright. He didn't technically answer that, so did it mean he wasn't? Kahoko was tempted to ask but judging by the way he watched her impatiently, she figured he wasn't going to say anything about it. Not wanting to keep him waiting, Kahoko quickly entered the café while he followed straight after.

As soon as they entered, Kahoko noticed Ryotaro and Kazuki standing by the counter of the café where customers were to order and pay for their food. They looked to be talking to someone which got her wondering if they were already ordering, but when she got a closer look, her eyes widened when she recognised who it was.

"Sakimoto-san?!"

Mizue Sakimoto smiled brightly when she saw Kahoko. "Ah Hino-san! What a surprise! I figured seeing Ryotaro and Hihara-san here would mean you were close by."

"Been working here long?" Ryotaro asked as both he and Kazuki had said their greetings before Kahoko and Azuma walked in.

"For a few weeks so far. I work part time as I need the extra money. It definitely helps with Christmas around the corner and all."

"Hm, that's a good idea," Kahoko said while she pondered over the possibility of getting a job too. Her allowance alone won't be enough to get presents for everyone. It was one reason why she hadn't bought any yet.

"Ah!" Mizue's eyes lit up when she noticed Azuma by Kahoko's side. "So HE must be your boyfriend! I'm right this time, aren't I Hino-san?"

Ryotaro and Kazuki nearly fell over when they heard this. Kahoko went wide eyed as this was the fourth time Mizue asked such a question – first with Ryotaro, then Len, then Kazuki and now Azuma. It didn't get any easier to deal with, although this time around she felt more embarrassed than usual. This was due to the fact that it wasn't the first time someone assumed such a thing. Hanako thought they were an item the moment she saw them together. Even Nami seemed very suspicious of their relationship, even though she had been told they weren't together. Then there was that jeweller from this morning that seemed to subtly back off after Kahoko stood by Azuma's side. Remembering such things made Kahoko's face turn pink with embarrassment. They didn't honestly look like a couple, did they?

Azuma on the other hand couldn't help but smile. He had no idea who this person was, but he didn't feel the need to tell her the truth. It was like Hanako, he would let her assume whatever she wanted. After all, it wasn't any inconvenience to him.

"So it IS him?!" Mizue's smile widened when she noticed Kahoko's and Azuma's reactions, taking their silence as a yes.

"NO!" Both Ryotaro and Kazuki yelled at the same time. They turned and looked at each other then, not expecting the other to say anything.

Mizue nearly jumped at their outburst. "What was that all about?"

"They're not like that," Ryotaro explained with a sigh. "He's another student from Seisou Academy, like us."

"That's right!" Kazuki chipped in. "This is Azuma Yunoki, a class mate and a good friend of mine. He's just friends with Kaho-chan, just like… all of us really, heh..." He almost faltered at that last part Azuma noticed. Even Ryotaro tensed up slightly at those words. Yes, they were all Kahoko's friends, yet Ryotaro and Kazuki wanted something more. But that wasn't going to happen, not if he had anything to do with it.

"Oh? I guessed wrong again?" Mizue's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I thought I was definitely right this time."

'No, he's right, we're just friends…' Kahoko thought to herself. Azuma must find it a nuisance to have people assume such things. If he were to have a girlfriend, it would be someone who was just as beautiful and as perfect as he was… in other words, no one like her. Thinking such things made her heart suddenly throb in pain. Kahoko brought a hand to her chest and clenched it into a fist around her white top. She didn't understand why she was hurting so much, but she couldn't let it get to her, not now anyway. Azuma glanced at her from the corner of his eye as though sensing she was troubled about something but remained silent.

"It's quite busy in here," Ryotaro took the chance to change the subject. "Can't see anywhere we can sit."

Mizue did a quick scan of all the tables. "Oh, one just became free. Come with me." Mizue quickly grabbed a tray and walked around the counter so she could guide them to a spare table. Ryotaro followed after her with Kazuki behind him, then Azuma, then Kahoko.

Ryotaro was right about it being crowded, Kahoko observed. She assumed most of the customers were here for the same reasons as them – Christmas shopping. Although, was it just her or were there a lot of women in here, particularly teenagers and young adults? This wouldn't bother her normally, but being at the back of the line gave her the annoying 'pleasure' of watching women stare over the three boys as they passed by; particularly Azuma. Even as he walked by, their heads would turn and watch after him longingly. Kahoko felt a tinge of jealousy sweep through her. But if that wasn't enough, she began to hear them whisper about how beautiful and handsome he was. They would comment on his hair, his face, his clothes, even his cologne and the way he walked! Kahoko inhaled sharply as the conversations began to take a turn for the worst, hearing them long for the opportunity to talk to him and even date him.

"Hino-san!" Mizue called out to her. "What are you doing? The table is over here!"

Kahoko noticed Mizue standing by a table which was further down the end of the café from where she was standing. She wasn't sure when or how, but she had stopped walking at some point to eavesdrop on the conversations she could hear about Azuma. A lot of the attention was on her now, for she was standing around with a vacant expression on her face and doing absolutely nothing. Kahoko's face turned a bright shade of red and quickly walked over to their table. She sat down in the only vacant seat which was next to Ryotaro. She heard a few girls giggle at her strange behaviour which got her sinking into her chair more.

"Come up to the counter when you're ready to order." Mizue advised after she had cleared the table. "I need to get back to work before I get in trouble."

"Alright, thanks for your help." Ryotaro smiled.

"Anytime," Mizue smiled back as she carried a tray of dirty dishes away.

"You okay Kaho-chan?" Kazuki asked as he watched her from diagonally across the table. "You seem a little on edge."

"I'm alright, sorry about that," Kahoko smiled a bit, still embarrassed about being caught in such a way but tried to hide it. She noticed they had a table by windowed side of the café, the window spanned over most of the wall which allowed a clear view of the city outside. Ryotaro and Kazuki had the window seats while Azuma sat directly opposite her…again. Why did she always have that unfortunate luck of sitting right in front him?

"Alright, that's good." Kazuki said in response to Kahoko. He then got up from his chair and said, "I'm going to go order now. Did you want me to order for you guys as well?"

"Thanks but I need to see what they have first," Ryotaro answered while he too got up from his chair. "You coming as well, Hino?"

"Um, I guess."

"If that's the case, I'll stay behind to mind the table." Azuma smiled, "You can leave your bags here. I'll wait till you've all ordered."

"Thanks Yunoki!" Kazuki smiled and headed to the counter, along with Ryotaro. Kahoko got up from her chair and noticed she was getting a little warm. The heaters must be running from vents in the ceiling. She noticed everyone had taken their jackets off and had them hanging off the back of their chairs. Azuma and the others must have done this while she was temporarily out of it.

While she slipped out of her brown jacket and pulled the pale yellow scarf off her neck, her eyes flickered across the room absently. It didn't register until she placed her jacket and scarf over the back of her chair that there were dozens of eyes staring in her direction. She looked again briefly and noticed the pairs of eyes were coming from girls, and they were all locked on the long haired male before her. Azuma was too preoccupied with the view outside the window to notice, or maybe he did, it was hard to tell. She couldn't put it past him as he was the most observant person she knew. But did he always draw this much attention when he went out?

Kahoko needed to go order her food but she couldn't will herself to leave. She wanted to go but couldn't knowing all these girls were checking Azuma out. What would happen if she left? Would some of these girls dare to approach him while he was alone? She could picture them asking for a photo, offering their number in exchange for his or not bothering with being subtle and just simply asking if he would go out with them. The possibilities made her blood boil, but she wondered what he would do in response.

He didn't seem like the type that would encourage such actions… but what would happen if someone caught his interest? There were a lot of girls in here which were far prettier than her. There was a chance it could happen. But if she stayed here, maybe none of that will happen, right? There was no guarantee but maybe some girls will get the wrong idea and think they were together, thus leaving him alone. She could also walk with him to the counter to order food after Ryotaro and Kazuki got back so that again restricted any possibilities of him being approached…

"What are you thinking?" Azuma suddenly asked, catching Kahoko off guard.

"H-Huh?"

"I asked what you were thinking."

Kahoko stared at him blankly and noticed he was watching her with one arm folded on the table while the other was propped on his elbow, cupping his chin. It was that thoughtful gesture of his which he did every so often. He seemed calm and composed which was typical of him, yet there was something about the way he watched her that looked suspicious and calculating.

"… I don't know what you're talking about." Kahoko lied. It wasn't like she could come out and say what she was thinking about him. He would probably laugh at her if he found out.

A small smile graced his lips. "If you intend to stay, why don't you sit down? I'm sure it's more comfortable than standing and drawing attention to your-self, again."

... Oh, she was still standing. Right… She knew that. But how did he know she intended to stay? Did he know what she was thinking, even when she refused to tell him? Kahoko dared not think any further on that one, knowing her luck he probably could read minds. He seemed good at everything else.

As she went to sit down, Kahoko suddenly gasped when she fell backwards onto the ground. Her bottom was first to make contact with the ground while her back pushed against the edge of her chair. While her vision spun for a second or two, she just realised then that she forgot to pull the chair in after she stood up moments earlier. She had pushed it back without thinking, thus landing awkwardly on the ground as a result… How could she be so stupid? She was even rewarded with an audience of customers who were sitting nearby that witnessed the whole thing. They giggled at her little spectacle while Kahoko wished the ground would open up and make her disappear. Great, that's two counts of looking like an idiot within a span of five minutes.

"… How long do you intend to sit on the ground?" Azuma asked as he glanced at her from the side of the table. "Or were you waiting for me to pick you up?" Kahoko shot a glare at him while he merely smiled with amusement. She would have liked to of blamed him for this but knew it was her own absentmindedness that got her in this mess. It's funny how she always managed to make a fool of herself in Azuma's presence. That couldn't just be a coincidence.

When Kahoko got up and sat herself firmly on the chair, making sure there was no risk of slipping off it, Azuma continued smiling at her and asked, "Who was that girl?"

"Who?" Kahoko asked as she looked up at him quizzically.

"The one you all talked to when we walked in."

"Oh, Sakimoto-san?" Kahoko was curious now. "What about her?"

Azuma raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you need to know?" Kahoko asked wearily, fearing the possibility that he may be interested in her. Mizue was very pretty and seemed nice from past conversations she had with her. It shouldn't come to a surprise that Azuma would ask about her, but even so…

Azuma watched Kahoko suspiciously. He merely wanted to know how they all knew each other. But the way Kahoko got so hesitant about it made him wonder if she was thinking it meant something else.

"Why does it matter? Is it a secret or something?" He hoped these questions may draw out whatever was bothering her.

Kahoko bit her lower lip nervously while she debated over what to tell him. In the end she decided on the basic story, knowing she wasn't a very good liar. "Mizue Sakimoto is… Tsuchiura-kun's ex-girlfriend. We met at the station after that visit to your place with Ayano-san. At the time, I was with Tsuchiura-kun and Tsukimori-kun. We met again at the park when I was with Hihara-senpai. Tsuchiura-kun and Sakimoto-san were out having drinks together and we ended up joining them."

Azuma's eyebrow twitched. "You were... with Hihara?" He didn't remember Kazuki mentioning anything about going to the park, especially with Kahoko. It wasn't something that would slip his mind so easily... So, Kazuki was asking Kahoko out behind his back huh? What else was going on that he wasn't aware of?

Kahoko didn't notice the strain in Azuma's tone when he asked about Kazuki. She was too absorbed with the possibility of Azuma getting with Mizue to think about the meaning behind his question. The thought about Azuma being interested in Mizue upset her, but what gave her the right to stand between them? If it was a total stranger she probably wouldn't feel so guilty but since it was Mizue, someone Ryotaro used to be close to, how could she say anything bad about her? If anything, she should encourage their meeting... right?

"She's a nice girl." Kahoko went on. "There is nothing going on between her and Tsuchiura-kun anymore. I'm sure she's still single too."

There was a long pause from Azuma as he was caught aback from Kahoko's words, particularly that last sentence about Mizue being single. Did she… think he was interested in THAT way about her? How could she assume such things without getting the facts first? His astonishment turned to annoyance then near rage but he controlled his anger and held it in check.

"Hino..." Azuma murmured in a deep dark tone, "How can... you say that…" He shot her a glare from across the table which made Kahoko flinch with both fear and confusion. What did she do to upset him this time? If anything, she should be the one upset! If he wants to talk about girls he should do it with Kazuki or even Ryotaro as he knew Mizue better than her!

"We're back!" Kazuki announced as he and Ryotaro returned to the table. When they were both seated, Kazuki stretched his arms over his head while he threw his legs up under the table. Ryotaro suddenly leaned forward with a look of pain across his features.

"Ugh, Hihara-senpai..." Ryotaro growled as he rubbed his shin. "Why did you kick me?"

"Ah sorry, sorry!" Kazuki apologised as he placed his hands on the table and folded his legs under the chair. "I just needed a bit of a stretch, didn't expect to injure anyone in the process haha. Sorry about that."

'You got up and stretched your legs two seconds ago,' Ryotaro thought but decided to let it go. "You guys can go up and order if you like. We'll mind the table now."

"Thank you, we won't be long," Azuma said with a sweet light-hearted tone, as though his anger moments ago was a figment of Kahoko's imagination. She stared blankly at the long haired male and watched as he got up from the table and headed towards the counter. Kahoko got up and followed after him but kept her distance and didn't say anything, fearing she may upset him again. It would be nice if she could get into his head and understand how his mind worked, at least she may not upset him as such as she does. How was it that she could draw so much anger out of one person and never from anyone else? Or was she just naturally annoying and everyone else coped with it better than he did?

"... Hino-san? Hino-san?" Kahoko was drawn out of her thoughts when she noticed Mizue smiling and waving to her from behind the counter. "Hey, are you ready to order?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kahoko didn't realise they had already reached the counter. She was about to order, but then wondered if it was best to let Azuma go first. Turning her head in his direction she asked wearily, "Um, have you already ordered?"

"I have." Azuma confirmed with a serene, gentle smile, but then his eyes flickered in realisation of something. He scanned over the food and beverage boards quickly while Kahoko wondered if he forgot to order something. That didn't seem like him.

"Actually, I do have another request. Can I please add it to my order?"

"Sure, what would you like?" Mizue asked kindly. Azuma smiled sweetly and started leaning over the counter towards her. Kahoko went wide eyed when she saw this and fought the urge to pull Azuma back by his hair. She watched as he began whispering something in Mizue's ear. The short haired girl seemed confused at first but listened to what Azuma had to say. Kahoko noticed her glance in her direction but quickly looked away. When Azuma pulled back, a smile graced Mizue's lips as she nodded in confirmation of...whatever Azuma said.

"Thank you," Azuma said as he flashed her a beautiful, dazzling smile. Kahoko gapped at this while Mizue's cheeks turned a shade of pink. She did her best to remain as composed as possible but there was no denying she had fallen for Azuma's charm, like every other girl. Azuma glanced at Kahoko for a moment, noticing her stunned expression but didn't say anything. He merely turned and headed back to the table, although when his back was turned his lips curved into a devious smile.

Kahoko knew she had no right to pry, but she couldn't deny she was curious about what Azuma said. No, she more than curious, she was desperate to find out what he said.

"What did he say to you?" Kahoko asked with slight panic in her tone.

It took Mizue a moment to realise Kahoko was talking to her. She was still temporarily stunned by Azuma's smile. "Huh? Did you say something Hino-san?"

Kahoko inhaled sharply. "What did Yunoki-senpai say?"

Mizue shrugged. "He just ordered some food."

"That's what he whispered to you?"

"Oh that, he wanted to order some desserts for afterwards." Mizue smiled.

Kahoko had a hard time believing that. "...Desserts?"

"Yes."

"That's all?"

Mizue nodded but Kahoko couldn't believe it. If that was all it was, why did he have to whisper it?

* * *

Everyone was nearly done with their lunches but Kahoko was having a hard time stomaching hers. It wasn't because of the food; it was due to the beautifully disguised demon that sat across the table from her. Azuma hadn't done anything which would be considered wrong, but he was the reason behind her annoyance. For one, why did the attention he draw irritate her so much? He's haled like a Prince at Seisou, he was eyed at the jewellery store liked a prized possession and now he's eyed like a potential date for majority of the girls in the café. She was glad she stuck with her plan to stay with him because the moment they got back, Kazuki suddenly had a hand full of phone numbers to pass on. Seriously, who hands their number to a complete stranger? But what annoyed her more was that Azuma actually kept them. He didn't throw them away or tell Kazuki to keep them - none of the things she expected. He instead pocketed them like he'd consider calling them later. Why?! It wasn't like he knew these girls!

The second thing that annoyed her was his interest in Mizue. What got him talking about her before? She tried asking Mizue about it but she had to get back to work. Kahoko didn't think she lied about the dessert thing but surely there had to be more to it than that? Did Azuma mention anything about meeting up later or exchanging numbers or something? It was hard to tell... yet there was a little voice in her head that was trying to tell her that Azuma wouldn't do something like that. Yes, he always drew constant attention from the opposite sex but he, never, pursued any particular girl - at least that's what she wanted to believe. But the other part of her was screaming for vengeance against him. How dare he tease her and take advantage of her when he's not even interested in that way - not that she wanted him to be. She should tell Mizue to stay well clear of him - not because she wanted him for herself, it would be for the best, for her own good - not because she was jealous or anything!

'Wait,' Kahoko backtracked a bit. 'Me? Jealous over Sakimoto-san? Do I… want Yunoki-senpai to myself…?'

This was the third thing that weighed heavily on both her mind and her heart. Azuma was becoming an obsession and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She knew there was a reason for it, but she didn't want to acknowledge what it was. She felt if she ignored it and denied it enough, the feeling would go away and everything would go back to normal. But that wasn't the case. If anything it was driving her insane. She never overreacted to the attention Azuma usually received. It never used to bother her but now she felt like punching any girl that so much as glanced at him.

Even Mizue was becoming an enemy, even though she barely knew her and didn't have a right to hate her... But there was reason for that. Azuma whispered in her ear and he never did that with other girls... Or did he? It wasn't like she watched him twenty four hours a day. He may do things with girls outside of school that no one was aware of. Perhaps he purposely went out with girls from different schools so the ones from Seisou wouldn't get upset. This new theory sent a shockwave of both anger and fear through her system. Her body trembled while she suddenly had the urge to scream.

"ARGH! I can't stand it!" Kahoko shouted which made all three boys jump, plus other customers who were sitting nearby.

"K-Kaho-chan?" Kazuki blinked with surprise.

"Are you... alright?" Ryotaro asked as he stared at her blankly.

Kahoko was silent for a moment, wondering where that outburst came from and thinking how much of an idiot she was. She put a hand over her mouth and quickly looked to the two green haired boys. "S-Sorry about that," Kahoko apologised sincerely as she bowed her head, "Please don't mind me. I have no idea what that was about, haha..." Although they had every right to worry - she was losing her mind.

Azuma watched her carefully from across the table. "You haven't eaten much. Are you sure you're alright?"

Kahoko tensed up when she heard his soft heavenly voice. Knowing he was the cause of her dismay made it difficult to keep a straight face, but she built up her courage and raised her head to look at him. The moment she did however, Kahoko felt her courage diminish instantly. His eyes, while he watched her with concern and curiosity, she felt he was accessing her, like he knew what was wrong with her but wanted her to admit it. Kahoko wasn't sure if that was her overreacting again, but it was hard to tell in Azuma's case. She envied his acting skills; it would be so useful at a time like this.

"I-I-I..." What was she supposed to be saying again? "I'm... I'm..." Kahoko took a quick breath and mentally kicked herself. "I'm fine! Really!" Wait, she said that too loudly, it was almost like she WANTED him to know her thoughts.

Ryotaro and Kazuki glanced at each other from across the table, both recognising something was definitely wrong but Azuma continued watching her with intrigue. He was curious about her behaviour. Seeing her all flustered and barely able to say the simplest words was amusing. Kahoko wasn't the hardest person to understand. She was so transparent at times that sometimes you almost feel sorry for her not being able to pull off the simplest of lies. Yet right now, for some reason, he couldn't figure out what was going through her mind on this occasion. He wanted to ask but he doubted she would say anything. Unless if, maybe, she was alone... or forced.

"Here we are!" Mizue announced as she approached their table. Everyone looked up at her and noticed she was holding a tray full of dessert foods. She started laying them out over the table, not knowing which was for whom but she guessed one of them to be Ryotaro's and placed his automatically in front of him. "Was this correct, Yunoki-san?"

"Yes, thank you for your hard work." Azuma smiled gratefully.

Mizue beamed at his compliment, as if his praise was the best thing she had received since she started working here. She picked up all the plates from their last meal and took them away to be washed. Kahoko glared after her but soon after sighed and tried to get a hold of her-self. She knew Mizue was only doing her job and that she meant well, but it still annoyed her that Mizue got so happy about Azuma's kind words. She may not have lied about the desserts but it didn't give her the right to be so friendly... 'Wait, stop thinking that way! Sakimoto-san isn't doing anything wrong!'

"Hino-san," Azuma got her attention with the dessert he placed before her. "I know you weren't able to finish your food but I hope you have enough room for this."

Kahoko looked over what she got given. It was a chocolate flavoured milkshake which sat within a tall fancy cone shaped glass. The milkshake was topped with a couple of scoops of chocolate ice cream, along with whip cream, grated chocolate sprinkles and chocolate topping. She loved chocolate, like most girls, and could feel her mouth watering at the mere sight of it. She didn't eat a lot of chocolate, but on occasions like this, how could she refuse?

"Wow, Yunoki..." Kazuki was staring over his dessert with stars in his eyes. He had a multi-layered black forrest cake, it's size equivalent to three slices. It was no surprise seeing Kazuki with such a large serving.

Ryotaro was given a fruit salad with a scoop of plain ice cream. It seemed ordinary compared to what Kahoko and Kazuki got given but he seemed satisfied with it.

"Heh, you're aware that I'm not much of a dessert person?" Ryotaro looked to Azuma.

"Am I wrong?" Azuma asked, pretending to seem worried that he may have got the wrong impression.

"No, no this is fine, really." Ryotaro started reaching into the pocket of his jeans. "How much do I owe you?"

Azuma chuckled. "Tsuchiura-kun, I bought this for all of you because I wanted to. I don't expect anything in return." Azuma smiled inwardly at his last sentence but kept up the reassuring facade.

"I see, thank you." Ryotaro replied.

"Yes! Thank you Yunoki!" Kazuki looked like he was about to cry in happiness. Azuma laughed as he watched his friend dig right in, he liked how easy Kazuki was to please. Azuma didn't have any dessert but ordered coffee as a substitute. While he drank peacefully, Ryotaro watched him from across the table in deep thought. Part of him was a little suspicious of Azuma's kind gesture - not that he didn't seem like the generous type, but he wondered if there was a hidden motive behind it. He glanced at Kahoko from the corner of his eye and watched as she ate the ice cream from her milkshake happily. He wished he had thought about buying her something. Maybe he still could, they did have the whole afternoon.

"Hey Kaho-chan," Kazuki smiled. "Are you enjoying your milkshake?"

Kahoko nodded, "And are you enjoying your cake?"

"Yes! Very much so!"

"Hehe, it's quite a lot though isn't it?"

"That's okay, 'I have a different stomach for sweet things', right?"

Kahoko laughed, remembering she said that at training camp. "But I thought you had a different stomach for dinner."

Kazuki pondered over that line. It took him a moment to realise where that had come from. He said it that night after he, Kahoko and Ryotaro had left Len's house, after she had returned his school jacket. "Ah! That's true! Then I guess that means I have three stomachs huh?"

"Haha, that's right!"

Kazuki and Kahoko started laughing while Ryotaro rolled his eyes, recalling those strange lines they mentioned. Azuma eyed the two of them suspiciously, feeling like he was missing out on something, again, but tried to put it out of mind. He shouldn't let every conversation they had get to him.

"Kaho-chan, do you… want to try some?" Kazuki gestured to his cake bashfully.

"Really?" Kahoko smiled, not recognising the sudden change in Kazuki's mood. "Okay, but to be fair, I should offer you some of my milkshake in return."

"Eh? Really?!" Kazuki's eyes lit up while Ryotaro and Azuma nearly choked. The first things that came to mind were Kazuki feeding her cake from his spoon and him leaning over the table to share Kahoko's milkshake… together with her. Azuma kept his poker face intact; however his hands began to shake uncontrollably. Coffee was swishing around in the cup he held and some even began to spill over the rim. Thankfully he held a saucer underneath to catch any spillage, but he wasn't concerned about that. He wasn't even aware of what was happening to the coffee. All he was focused on was Kahoko and what she intended to do with Kazuki.

Azuma watched as Kazuki did as he imagined, he took a spoon full of cake and looked ready to offer it to her but Kahoko hand her milkshake held out to him. Kazuki was confused at first but accepted it gratefully. He was about to offer his spoon to her again but Kahoko had her own spoon in hand and scooped a small portion of his cake with it. Bringing it to her mouth and savouring the taste of the cake, they all watched as she smiled and her eyes brightened.

"Ah, delicious!" Kahoko gushed.

"Yeah it is huh?" Kazuki smiled, seeming a little disappointed that she didn't eat from his spoon but glad she enjoyed the cake. Ryotaro exhaled with relief rushing over him but Azuma continued to eye the milkshake Kazuki had in hand. He watched as his friend took a sip from Kahoko's straw and felt his anger suddenly skyrocket. It was the only straw Kahoko had, which meant after she got it back she would…

"Hey this is very good too!" Kazuki smiled as he held out the milkshake to her. "Thanks for letting me try it."

"That's okay." Kahoko smiled as she reached her hand out for it.

Azuma couldn't take this anymore. Try as he might, he couldn't pretend none of this didn't affect him. He couldn't stand how familiar Ryotaro and Kazuki were with Kahoko. They seemed closer than he was, and he didn't appreciate knowing he was on the lower scale of Kahoko's list of relations. For ignoring him last night and not even apologising, for going out with Ryotaro, for letting these guys touch her inappropriately, for assuming he was interested in Mizue… He had had enough…

When Kahoko had her milkshake within her grasp, she brought it in close to herself and was about to take a sip until she felt something, strange. Something was creeping up her leg at an agonisingly slow pace. Electrical currents were running up and down her leg while her body froze and tensed up at the feeling of it. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart began to hammer against her chest.

"Hino?" Ryotaro noticed her face redden while her eyes began to widen. "What's wrong?"

The tortuously good feeling was close to her knee by the time Kahoko realised what was happening. Someone was feeling her up with their foot, and it was none other than…

"Hino?"

The moment Kahoko felt Ryotaro touch her face, it was like something snapped from within. She jumped at his touch and suddenly felt her milkshake spill over her chest and top. The cold liquid shocked her momentarily as the milkshake cup slipped from her fingers. The glass hit the corner of the table and shattered unexpectedly as more of the brown liquid spilt over the table and her jeans, along with pieces of the now broken glass.

"Hino!" Ryotaro gasped as he quickly picked up a handful serviettes that were on the table and tried cleaning up the spilt milkshake.

"Kaho-chan!" Kazuki quickly got up, "I'm going to get Sakimoto to help clean this up."

Kahoko didn't pay attention to what either Ryotaro or Kazuki were doing. All she could see was the person sitting before her who didn't seem at all phased by what happened or show any form of concern. She could hear other customers in the café talking about her, particularly the ones that didn't hide their interest in Azuma. She could hear them murmur to one another like they were screaming the words at her - that she was an attention seeker, how it would be embarrassing to sit with her, how she didn't seem good enough to be in the presence of these three boys, especially Azuma. She didn't know these girls, but she couldn't deny their words hurt. She was beyond embarrassed. She was ashamed and felt like an fool for being placed in such a situation. Kahoko got up from her chair and felt glass from her lap spill over the ground, along with some excess milkshake that hadn't seeped its way through her clothes.

"I'm going to the bathroom…" She whispered as she quickly walked away. Azuma watched after her in deep thought, while Kazuki had just arrived with Mizue to help clean up the mess. They were so absorbed with the task at hand that they didn't notice Azuma as he got up from the chair and began to slowly follow after her.

Kahoko was relieved to find no one in the bathroom when she walked in. At least she could be on her own while she tried cleaning herself up, although one look in the mirror proved it was going to be a lost cause. Her white shirt had turned brown; half her jeans had been stained. Even underneath her clothes she could feel her skin sticking to the material and could feel her bra had been affected by the spillage as well. How was she supposed to feel about this? She was still shocked over what happened but had no idea if she should be upset or angry about it.

"Hino…"

Kahoko flinched when she heard her name, especially who's voice it belonged to. She slowly turned her head towards the bathroom's entrance and noticed Azuma leaning against the closed door with his arms behind his back. When he had walked in, she wasn't aware, although she heard a little 'click' as the door was locked behind him and watched as he slowly begun to approach her.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ah dear, look at that. Ended it at the worst possible moment, sorry about that. I really want to keep going but this chapter will never end if I do that lol :P I'm sorry this chapter took so long as well. You'll probably think it didn't seem like three weeks worth of writing, as it doesn't seem all that impressive. Technically it was one weeks worth but two weeks to plan – along with some debate over whether or not I should scrap this idea.

I stuck with it mainly because it revolved around Azuma's and Kahoko's feelings for one another (even if they haven't accepted or acknowledged them yet) and how it's affecting them – particularly Kahoko when they entered the café. I know Azuma has a lot of explaining to do, you're all probably wondering what's going through his head right now XP I promise you'll find out in the next chapter. I would have revealed it now but as I explained before, the chapter was getting far too long. Sowwie :P

The café was inspired by Episode 13 of the anime when Kahoko and Keiichi ran into each other at the instrument exhibition. I changed the café slightly in my story to better suit my ideas for it, like more tables and chairs and that they could occupy more than two people as the one in the anime seemed to only seat two. Mizue won't have a large role in my story but I plan on having her featured in more chapters. I couldn't resist not adding her and doing her whole boyfriend line thing XD

It's weird, I feel like nothing has happened in this chapter, yet there isn't anything I would change as it's all relevant in some way. Ah well, we still have a long way to go; so hopefully you'll all stick with me till we get there :-) Hope to see you in the next chapter. I'm excited that we've reached the double digits in chapter numbers XD


	11. Chapter 11

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story, with Ryotaro and Kazuki being put on the side lines this time. Sorry fellas but Azuma's taking the spotlight this time around… as he should be :P

* * *

Chapter 11

Kahoko's eyes widened when she saw Azuma enter the bathroom. At first she thought he was a figment of her imagination as someone of his high social standing wouldn't possibly walk into a ladies bathroom... Or at least, that's what she wanted to believe, but her imagination wouldn't make fun of her in such a way. Azuma was definitely here, and, judging by the way he said her name in that dark, warning tone of his, there was no denying this was real.

"Y-Yunoki-senpai..." Kahoko whispered with certain fear as she watched him slowly approach her, the distance between them decreasing by the second. "W-What are you doing in here?"

Azuma didn't respond. He continued staring at her through narrowed eyes while moving in on her like a hunter stalking his prey. Kahoko stared back helplessly and tried putting more distance between them, not that there was much room to do so. While the look in his eyes terrified her, she couldn't deny that there was a little, tiny part of her which was eager to see what he would do - not that she took pleasure in being punished... Or maybe she did, so long as it was from Azuma… 'W-Wait! No! That's just disturbing and wrong!' Kahoko screamed in her mind.

She needed to remember where they were, and who they were with. Ryotaro, Kazuki and Mizue were the unfortunate ones that had to clean up the mess she made - which she felt terribly guilty about. But after that, they were bound to come looking for her. And what would they say if they happened to find her in the ladies bathroom alone with Azuma? She couldn't imagine how they would react, but it would be worse for Azuma as he really had no excuse for entering a woman's bathroom. He needed to get out of here, and now before anyone noticed.

"P-Please don't come any closer." Kahoko pleaded as she held out her hands to stop him. "You really need to go… You can't be in here…" But her words went unnoticed.

Before she knew it, Azuma suddenly took her by the wrists and pulled her towards him so quickly that she almost fell over. Kahoko closed her eyes and braced herself for what was to come. She didn't know what to expect, but judging by his anger she could only assume the worst.

A few moments passed where there was nothing but complete silence. With her eyes closed, Kahoko noticed his grip on her wrists weren't as bad as she originally anticipated. He wasn't hurting her in any way but she might as well have been shackled to him since there was no way she could pull free. She felt him moving her hands about in different directions which seemed a little strange to her as this was the last thing she expected.

Daring to open her eyes, Kahoko peeked up at Azuma and noticed he was inspecting her hands. He was looking at them from every angle, taking the time to look over her fingers, her palms and the backs of her hands. He let out a little sigh after a moment, as though relieved about something but quickly glared at her again. Kahoko tensed up at that. She was almost under the impression he was worried about her, but now she wondered if he was checking her hands just to make sure he wouldn't be blamed for her injuries.

"You… truly are… the most annoying person I have ever met…" Azuma growled while his piercing gaze continued to stare her down. Kahoko's body began to tremble slightly, both in terror and anger. How could he say something like that after what just happened?

"If I annoy you so much, you shouldn't have bothered coming after me." Kahoko said as she tried pulling her hands away. "Don't worry; I won't say anything to the others if that's what you're concerned about."

Azuma went wide eyed then. Her words caught him off guard momentarily which caused his grip on her wrists to slacken. Kahoko was going to take that opportunity to pull free but doing so made his grip suddenly tighten in rage. Before she knew it, Azuma had her pinned against a wall with her arms up by her head. Kahoko gasped at this and was about to give him a piece of her mind until she noticed his face only inches away from hers. Her breath caught in her throat while her heart began to beat like a drum against her chest.

He was so close… so close that she could almost feel the warmth emanating from his body, but she couldn't let that distract her. She needed to remember that he was in the wrong, that it was his fault her clothes were ruined and that he made her spill her milkshake... and yet… The smell of his cologne was really nice… It had such a sweet, alluring scent that it was messing with her senses. And his face, that damn face which left her speechless every time she stared at it too long. Even angry he still continued to look more beautiful than any man she had ever seen. Great, if she wasn't in enough of a disadvantage, here she was making things harder for herself by falling under his spell.

"Do you honestly think I came in here just to make sure you won't blame me for what happened?" Azuma laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "I had other reasons. But you know, before you are so quick to judge, maybe you should think about who really was to blame, hm? I wouldn't want you thinking less of me for the wrong reasons…" His dark, intimidating tone sent chills throughout her body while her heart rate steadily increased. She could feel her resolve wavering, which was not fair considering the circumstances.

"You doubt me?" Azuma asked, as though sensing her mixed feelings on the subject. "Then let's start with a few simple questions: First, who was the one holding the milkshake glass?"

Kahoko was silent for a moment, knowing already where this was leading. "Me…" She whispered.

"Second, who dropped the milkshake glass?"

"… Me. But you made me drop it!" Kahoko quickly added.

"And how did I do that?"

"By… by…" Kahoko really didn't want to bring this up but knew she had to in order to prove Azuma wrong. "… C-Caressing my leg… under the… t-table…" Remembering such things made her face turn pink with embarrassment.

Azuma smiled with amusement, both at her response and the way she blushed. "I admit I did that yes, but third question, did you drop your glass the moment it happened?"

Kahoko tried thinking back on it but it was hard to concentrate considering the way her body reacted at the time. She didn't want to remember the way his foot rubbed over her so inappropriately, especially when Ryotaro and Kazuki were present. She knew he was trying to prove his own point to all this but she felt he was secretly relishing in her embarrassment. She could tell by the wicked glint in his eyes.

"I… can't remember…" Kahoko murmured.

"Then let me refresh your memory. Someone touched you just before you dropped your milkshake, which brings us to the fourth question, who was that person?"

"… T-Tsuchiura-kun…" The moment she said his name, Kahoko went wide eyed in realisation of what Azuma was trying to say. "Wait! This wasn't his fault! How dare you blame him for this! He didn't do anything wron-" Kahoko froze when she noticed Azuma's face was a lot closer than before. While they were inches apart before, she noticed that now their noses were almost touching… but when did that happen? Had he been moving in on her little by little while she was answering his questions?! Why didn't she notice it sooner?!

"He may not have done anything wrong," Azuma admitted. "But you can't excuse the fact that he caused you to spill your milkshake, and made you drop it. But if you don't think he's responsible, then you only have yourself to blame..." Azuma noticed she was about to debate it further but he went on. "Or would you like to blame Hihara for this? If he had merely placed the milkshake glass on the table before you, you wouldn't have been holding it by your chest in the first place, thus none of this may have happened." His mood darkened as he recalled that incident moments ago. "But then again it's your fault for offering it to him in the first place so no point in blaming others for your clumsiness…"

There was a bite to his last sentence which Kahoko failed to notice. Instead, she was too absorbed by the fact that Azuma thought he was innocent in all this. "You honestly think you haven't done anything wrong?"

"If you can prove otherwise, then by all means, enlighten me."

...Why didn't that surprise her? As much as she would love to bury him with his lies and smug attitude, she knew deep down that there was no way she could win this argument. Azuma had too much pride to let her have the upper hand in anything. Plus he relished any opportunity to make her feel as small and pathetic as possible. This annoyed her greatly but she didn't want to risk giving him ammunition to shoot her down with.

"Fine, it was my fault. I admit it." Kahoko sighed. "Now can you please let me go?"

"Why?" Azuma asked as he pressed his forehead against hers, causing her to stiffen in as a result.

"B-Because you need to go…" Kahoko stuttered as she tried ignoring his sudden advance.

Azuma was silent for a moment, which Kahoko assumed meant he was considering her words… or at least hoped he was. But if that was the case, couldn't he back up, even just a little? This was much harder to tolerate when he wasn't speaking. As least when he talked she had his dark yet alluring words to focus on. But now, in silence, she found herself focusing on the close contact of their foreheads, the tiny space between their faces, not to mention his warm breath as it grazed over her lips every few seconds. These were distractions which she would like to be without.

The urge to make it stop was becoming unbearable. Yet the only thing she could think of doing was leaning forward ever so slightly and sealing her lips against his. That would help her with the breathing problem at least… But of course that wasn't going to happen! … And yet the urge to do so remained and the desire to make it happen continued to build with each passing moment.

Azuma was completely aware of what he was doing to Kahoko. Watching as she tried to keep in control of the situation amused him. He had no problem playing with her if she continued being difficult, although he would have thought she'd knew better by now. But that was fine; she just needed a little reminding. With someone as dense as her, he couldn't expect her to get the message the first time around. Besides, reinforcing the lesson didn't bother him in the slightest.

Her 'demand' that he should leave amused him. He couldn't help but chuckle as he purposely pressed a little closer. "I don't need to go anywhere, not unless you'll be coming with me." He stared into her liquid gold eyes and watched how they widened with both shock and embarrassment. He smiled at this and propped a knee in between her legs, leaving her even more helpless than she already was, and purposely making the situation all the more intimate. Kahoko's face started to turn a bright shade of pink while Azuma began to caress the side of his nose against hers playfully.

"What's the matter? Don't want me to let go after all?" Azuma asked in a dark seductive tone while his thumbs began to trace small circles over the backs of her wrists. Kahoko felt her pulse quicken from this, his touch causing electrical currents to shoot down her arms and flow all the way down to the tips of her toes. Her knees nearly gave way as a result of this sweet torture while her heart was pounding loud and hard against her chest. She was falling and there was nothing she could do to resist him.

"Be honest, you really don't want me to stop, do you?" Azuma gave her a sweet sensuous smile before pressing his lips against the corner of her mouth. The kiss was soft and feathery light but the effect was overwhelming. Kahoko's body went completely limp, her mind was swimming in a state of total ecstasy, her heart felt as though it was going to burst, her skin was on fire and she felt any moment now she was going to pass out. It didn't end with just one kiss though. Azuma began to trail these kisses all around the edges of her mouth. He did this in such a slow, agonising pace that it was driving Kahoko insane.

Azuma smiled inwardly to himself, enjoying her reaction to each kiss and feeling her body tremble against him. Her body temperature was rising and her face was so red that it made her hair pale in comparison. There was no denying that she was enjoying this and that she needed some relief. But he wasn't going to satisfy her needs so easily. Oh no, he was going to continue baiting and tempting her until she craved and desired nothing but him, just him, not Ryotaro, Kazuki or anyone else.

After he had kissed around her entire mouth, Azuma paused for a moment as the sweet smell of chocolate caught his senses. Remembering where she had spilt milkshake over herself, he began to lower his head towards her chest with his lips trailing delicately over her chin and down her throat. Kahoko's skin tingled as a result of what he was doing, particularly around her neck as that was one of her most sensitive areas.

The collar of her shirt sat horizontally across her chest, resting a couple of inches below her collarbone. A shame she wasn't wearing something a little more revealing… but then Azuma thought better on it. Considering she was here 'officially' with Ryotaro, he wouldn't want the pianist getting any ideas or fantasizing about anything he shouldn't. Such thoughts sent hint of anger through his system, but it disappeared as quickly as it came, considering the circumstances.

Parting his mouth slightly, Azuma brought his tongue out and applied it to the centre of Kahoko's chest, very close to the frilly collar of her shirt as he wanted to taste as far down her chest as possible. Kahoko let out a little gasp the moment she felt his hot wet tongue. A wave of pleasure swept through her while the feeling only grew and multiplied when she felt his tongue trail back up her body. But the journey back up was so slow that Kahoko's body could barely take it, she felt any moment now she was going to melt into a puddle on the ground.

Azuma licked all the way up from her chest to her collarbone, then up her throat to her chin and pulled his tongue back as soon as it reached the bottom of her lip. He savoured the taste of her, as though sampling a new dessert and the flavour that hit him wasn't something he expected. Now he understood what Keiichi murmured that time when he sucked rice off Kahoko's finger. His teeth clenched together at the memory, wishing he could have drowned Keiichi in a pool of acid or something – he should have been the only one to taste her like that! But oh well, he got to taste something better, and more, so Keiichi had nothing on him anymore.

Now that his lips were close to Kahoko's again, Azuma began debating over what he should do next. He had kissed nearly every part of her face and neck, from both today and other times, and yet, he still left the one place he desired over any other. He couldn't deny that this was torture for him, along with Kahoko. His lips continued to hover by hers while they both stared into each other's eyes.

Kahoko was in a trance-like state with her eyes a little glazed over. It was like Azuma had hypnotised her, but she wasn't completely unaware of what was happening. She couldn't think but she could feel, and her emotions radiated through the golden orbs of her eyes like a beacon. Azuma continued to stare back, unable to turn away. He could feel some sort of invisible force drawing him in, like he too was falling under some spell Kahoko had cast on him.

Time stilled, and everything around them became nothingness. They were in their own world where no one else mattered besides each other. Their eyelids began to close while their lips sought each others like two halves of the same whole. Their breath became one as the gap between them just about closed when-

"Hino-san? Hino-san? Are you alright?" A loud voice came from behind the bathroom door, followed by several loud knocks. It was Mizue's voice, and the moment she called out to them the magic instantly vanished. Kahoko and Azuma jumped with surprise, forgetting for a moment where they were. They both looked towards the door before looking at each other, and when they did they remembered the situation they were in. Azuma was the first to recover, and when he did he immediately let her go and backed away to put space between them. Kahoko wasn't prepared for that. Since she was still weak from Azuma's advances she ended up collapsing onto the floor with a thud.

"Hino-san? What's going on in there?" Mizue called out worriedly.

"I-I'm alright!" Kahoko squeaked. She coughed and cleared her throat before trying again, "I'll be out in a moment Sakimoto-san!" although she didn't know if she could move any time soon. She may have come back to her senses but she was still an emotional mess. She tried taking several deep breaths to calm her nerves but the way Azuma touched her, kissed her, and nearly kissed her on the lips continued to play over and over in her mind like a roll of film in a continuous loop. His touch still lingered, along with his kisses and that warm moist trail he left down her neck and chest. Even the warmth of his body remained, like he hadn't let her go at all.

Kahoko's head was swimming from all this. She felt the urge to pass out like she had taken a dose of sleeping pills. But now wasn't the time to be distracted by such things! Mizue was calling out to her and she wasn't aware Azuma was in here with her! What were they going to do?! Kahoko stared up at Azuma with panic written all over her expression. She hoped he knew a way out of this because she certainly didn't. If they did get caught there was no way she was going to defend him. She told him to get out earlier so there was no way he could blame her for this.

Azuma had his back to her so she couldn't see his expression, but if she could she would notice that he was distracted by what happened between them moments ago, especially with that near kiss of their lips. He couldn't get over how he lost himself to the moment like that. His plan was to make Kahoko submit to him yet the situation reversed on itself, making him nearly submit to her! What did she do to make him tune out like that? It wasn't like he was day-dreaming or felt sleep deprived. He knew exactly what he was doing up until he glanced into her eyes. But he wasn't pathetic enough to get distracted by something so trivial… was he?

"What a nuisance…" Azuma murmured as he played with a lock of loose hair which sat by the side of his face. He was commenting on his thoughts while Kahoko thought he meant Mizue.

"What are we going to do?" Kahoko whispered, hoping Mizue couldn't hear them.

Azuma looked towards the door, almost forgetting Mizue was there and looked down at Kahoko. He raised an eyebrow at first, as he didn't notice her collapse earlier and couldn't help but smile with amusement. He knew now wasn't the time to make light of the situation they were in, but he couldn't deny this was very exhilarating. Would anyone believe Azuma, the 'perfect honour student' would be found alone with a girl in a female's public bathroom? Nami would sell her soul to publish such a story in the school's newspaper. He would also get in a lot of trouble with his grandmother if she found out, yet if she did, he wondered if it would be enough to give her a heart-attack… He couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. It would almost be too good to be true if it did happen, but he wasn't going to stake his personal reputation on it.

"Yunoki-senpai…" Kahoko growled as she glared at him in frustration, not seeing this situation as something to laugh about.

"Don't pull such a face. It's not cute at all… Kahoko…" Azuma grinned while Kahoko felt herself flush pink, despite being angry with him. No, more than angry, she was furious! Not only were her clothes ruined because of him – he may not admit it but it was the truth – he even took advantage of her in more ways than one. She thought the last photo shoot was bad, considering the way he kissed and touched her inappropriately then, but this situation was the worst by far! It was so unfair! Azuma was an enemy to all women out there! He was dangerous and should be locked in a vault in a remote part of the world, never to be seen by anyone again! Or better yet, sent to outer space so the chances of him being found were near to none! That would teach him!

"Why do I have this feeling you're silently cursing me…?" Azuma smiled sweetly, pretending he had no idea why she should be so upset.

He kneeled down in front of her then, causing Kahoko's heart to flutter as the idea of him continuing on from before crossed her mind. She turned her head away but Azuma took her by the chin and turned her head back towards his. Their faces were close to one another again with Kahoko's turning a bright shade of red while Azuma didn't look as though he was playing around this time.

"There are two ways out of this. But instead of me making the decision, I want you to choose so you don't feel as though you were swayed in any way." Azuma explained while Kahoko stared at him blankly at first, but took in his words without letting his beautiful face distract her… too much. "The first one is for both of us to walk out of here and pretend nothing happened. Of course, trying to explain that to the others will be a different story all together. If word of this spread throughout Seisou, I can assure you it will affect you more than me… as other students will think you are trying to taint my name." Kahoko nodded slowly at this, knowing full well he could sway the majority of the school to his side with the right words. So this option was obviously out.

"The second option will require a bit of acting on your part, something you are very poor at but if you want to get out of this, you're going to have to do a reasonable job. Plus this option will give you a change of clothes, provided you meet some requirements of mine." Azuma smiled at the last part, while Kahoko dreaded what that may be. It was obvious that the second option was the one to choose, although she hoped it wouldn't be something she will regret later.

* * *

Mizue was half tempted break the bathroom door down, considering Kahoko had been in there longer than she thought necessary. But her main concern was checking to see if Kahoko was alright. With the amount of glass that shattered, she wanted to be sure she hadn't cut herself. The silence continued to drag and she was beginning to think she had passed out from blood loss or something.

"S-Sakimoto-san, are you still there?" Kahoko asked from behind the locked door.

"Hino-san!" Mizue jumped with both surprise and relief. "Are you okay? Do you need some help?"

"I'm sorry I've been in here so long. I seemed to have cut my fingers and the blood won't stop coming out. Holding them under running water doesn't help either."

Mizue went wide eyed. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. "I'd better get a first aid kit then. Hold on Hino-san, I'll be back in just a moment!"

"W-Wait, is anyone there with you?"

"Anyone with me?" Mizue repeated with a blank expression. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was nearby. The bathrooms were down a corridor away from the dining area of the café so unless you actually needed to go to the bathroom, you couldn't see anyone from here. But just before she was about to answer, she noticed Ryotaro heading in their direction. "Oh, Ryotaro is coming over. I think he's worried about you Hino-san."

"Eek! No please don't let him come over. I'm such a mess right now; I don't want him to see me like this. Please tell him to wait by the table!"

"Oh, okay, I'll be right back then." Mizue said, figuring that mess with the milkshake must have done a number on Kahoko's clothes. Being a girl, she could totally sympathise with Kahoko in this instance.

"Sakimoto how is she?" Ryotaro asked but instead of getting a response, Mizue forced him to turn around and began pushing him back towards the diner. "Oi, what are you doing?"

"Hino-san needs some space for the moment. Don't worry, she's fine, I'll be going back to her in a second." Mizue smiled, trying to reassure him. Ryotaro looked over his shoulder at the bathroom door and wondered if she really was alright. She seemed shaken up after dropping that milkshake glass. Not to mention Azuma disappeared as soon as Kahoko did.

"…Are you sure she's alright?" Ryotaro asked, hoping and praying that his twisted mind was wrong and that Azuma wasn't with Kahoko. He didn't seem like the type that would invade a woman's bathroom but he didn't know the upperclassman all that well. He could be capable of such things. Besides, where else could he possibly be? He should still be in the café somewhere but he was nowhere to be seen…

Mizue smiled, "You really care about her don't you?"

Ryotaro nearly fell over when he heard that. "I-It's not like that. Anyone would be worried about someone that had broken glass shatter all over them."

Mizue smiled at this, but didn't say another word on the subject. The evidence was clear from the hint of pink in Ryotaro's cheeks. How nice it would have been to see him like this when they were going out… It made her envy Kahoko very much to have someone as caring as Ryotaro looking out for her.

Kahoko unlocked the bathroom door and peeked outside to see if they had left. Noticing no one in sight, she let out a little sigh with relief and looked back at Azuma who was… wetting his handkerchief under running water…?

"Are they gone?" Azuma asked as he turned the tap off and wringed his handkerchief.

"Um, yes but… what are you doing?"

"Thinking about you…" Azuma answered as he flashed a sensuous smile in her direction. Kahoko's knees nearly buckled at his answer but tried not to let it get to her.

"I was being serious." Kahoko murmured, annoyed that he was still toying with her, even now given the situation.

"So was I." Azuma replied simply. Kahoko rolled her eyes and turned her back on him. While annoyed, the main purpose of turning her back on him was to hide the blush that she could feel creeping into her cheeks. This extremely annoyed her as she was letting Azuma get to her again, and so easily too, although this was nothing compared to earlier… but Kahoko quickly shook her head to get such memories out of her head.

"Put this on." Azuma said as he slipped out of his long black jacket and hung it over her shoulders. "I don't want to walk out there with you in such a state."

It didn't take much to convince Kahoko of this, but as she slipped the jacket on and buttoned it up she asked, "Why can't I just put my own jacket on when we reach our table?"

She felt it was the right thing to ask, although she couldn't deny it felt nice wearing his jacket. It was a little big for her, but it was still comfortable to wear. Considering its length, she thought it would be a little heavy but the material was surprisingly light, almost like wearing a second skin. It was very warm and she could smell Azuma's sweet scent around the collar. It was almost like being hugged by him… but then the memory of him pinning her against the wall came to mind which turned her face red instantly.

"Who said anything about meeting up with the others?" Azuma said while adjusting his purple scarf around his neck. Kahoko was grateful that he didn't notice her face. It gave her a chance to calm down without him making it any worse, although it occurred to her a second later that Azuma's question made no sense. If they weren't going to meet up with the others, then what were they going to do? Wasn't the whole purpose just now to get out of the bathroom without them being seen together?

"We need to go now before Sakimoto-san returns." Azuma advised as he took Kahoko by the hand and started guiding her out the bathroom door. The warmth from his hand caused a sudden jolt of electricity to shoot up her arm while his gentle touch made her skin tingle with unexpected delight. Damn it, it's not supposed to feel good! She should pull away and go back to Ryotaro and Kazuki where she was safe from Azuma's wicked advances but… but… As much as she would like to… she had no will to pull away. It was like logic had been thrown out the window and her instincts were left to guide her. Great, just great… That wasn't a good thing!

When they were out the bathroom, Azuma looked towards the two doors which were positioned besides the female bathroom; the closest being the male's bathroom and the other was the emergency exit. Of course such doors weren't meant to be used in case there was a fire or some other hazard which called for evacuation, but there was no way they could walk through the main exit without Ryotaro or Kazuki spotting them. Azuma walked towards it and opened the door for them to follow through. When they were outside, he headed up the crowded street with a destination in mind and continued to hold Kahoko's hand while he guided her through the throng of people.

"Y-Yunoki-senpai," Kahoko said after coming back to her senses once the cold winter air hit her. "We can't leave the others like this."

"They are old enough to take care of themselves."

"But, all my things are still in the café."

"Which Tsuchiura-kun will look after," Azuma figured. "I left my shopping behind as well, but Hihara should look after that for me too." He may have left the watch behind, but he had all his other belongings which were more important, like his cell phone and wallet. Not saying he had planned all this exactly, sort of, but it was good to keep everything on hand. "Don't worry, we will meet up with them soon enough. Besides, I promised I would give you some new clothes right?" He gave her a sweet smile but Kahoko tried not to let that sway her.

"We should at least let them know! Sakimoto-san will notice I'm gone and then Tsuchiura-kun and Hihara-senpai will start to worry."

Azuma sighed. "Must you care so much about what they think?" But even as he said this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He didn't care so much about what Ryotaro thought, but he did feel slightly guilty about leaving Kazuki behind… only slightly though. He didn't tell his friend that the main reason he agreed to this outing was that he hoped he would meet up with Kahoko. He wasn't lying to her when he suggested she call him – although it wasn't a suggestion, he WANTED her to call. He did use this outing as an opportunity to buy Miyabi a Christmas present, which he intended on doing at some stage but he could have done that in his own time. This was just a good excuse to see Kahoko since he didn't want her with Ryotaro, and didn't want anything happening between them. He knew the two gen-ed students were close, but he didn't want to risk that developing into something more.

Choosing Kazuki's number from his contact list, Azuma brought the phone to his ear and waited a few dial tones until Kazuki picked up. "Hey Hihara… Yes it's me… I'm sorry to have made you worry… Oh, about that. You see, it's a little embarrassing to admit but I grow nauseous over the sight of blood. Seeing Hino-san's hands in such a state, I had to run to the bathroom…" Azuma couldn't believe he was using such a pathetic excuse for his absence but what else could he say? He followed after Kahoko the second she got up from the table so he was limited to what excuses he could use. Saying he needed to go to the bathroom over natural reasons wouldn't have worked, considering the circumstances. So, given his upbringing, this excuse left no room for debate as it was easy enough to believe… but it really, really hurt his ego.

"… Ah, no I'm fine… Oh, Hino-san? … She's with me, sorry for not telling you… After I left the bathroom, Hino-san was just coming out and the state of her attire was dreadful. I couldn't bear leaving her like that so I'm taking her to a department store to get some new clothes… I'm terribly sorry; I didn't think Hino-san would want you seeing her in such a way… Okay, that's fine. Meet up with us there… Okay, bye." Azuma hung up and turned his phone off before pocketing it again. There was one minor detail Kazuki forgot to ask, which was actually quite important but oh well, not his problem now that his phone was off.

"…How… how can you make up stories like that so easily?" Kahoko asked in disbelief, knowing she couldn't lie on the spot like that… or lie very well in general. She saw Azuma do it all the time but it still amazed her how he could pull it off in any given situation.

"It wasn't a complete lie," Azuma admitted. "We are going to a department store."

"Yes but…" She was going to ask if he had planned all of this on the spot, or if it was done at some earlier stage but she wasn't uncertain if she could handle the answer. It seemed too convenient that Azuma got them out of the bathroom without being the slightest bit worried. She knew he was good at hiding his emotions but even he would've panicked at the thought of being caught right? Not unless if… he was expecting it…

"… But what?" Azuma prompted.

"U-Umm… I was just wondering…"

"… Yes?"

"… Do you really get nauseous over the sight of blood?"

Azuma tensed up at that. Even though it was an innocent enough question, he got extremely offended by it. Shooting a glare in her direction he replied sharply, "No, of course not, but under the circumstances, what was I supposed to say?!" He regretted using that excuse now. He didn't care so much what Kazuki thought but he didn't want Kahoko thinking he was any less of a man because of it. She should have known it was a lie! He helped her with her knee that time when she fell down the stairs! Her knee wasn't bleeding he admits but it was close enough.

Kahoko flinched at his response and immediately nodded in understanding. She had a feeling it wasn't true, but it was the only thing she could think of without asking the real question she had in mind. Then again, having thought about it for a moment, she realised it didn't matter whether or not it was planned. He got them out of there without being caught, which was the main thing really… even though it was entirely his fault and shouldn't have happened in the first place…

But off that subject… the idea of Azuma fainting at the sight of blood was actually quite amusing. She didn't know why but considering his elegance and how he's been pampered all his life, it wouldn't surprise her if something like that did terrify him. He may claim it was a lie but it didn't necessarily mean it was. Besides, why would someone get so emotional over a lie in the first place? Kahoko felt the urge to laugh when she remembered the way Azuma's face looked. It was priceless and very out of character for him.

"If you start laughing, I swear I'll make you regret it." Azuma warned.

"S-Sorry…" Kahoko took a deep breath and tried to keep a straight face, although humour was still evident in her eyes.

* * *

After the phone call from Azuma, Kazuki closed his cell phone while Ryotaro waited eagerly for his response.

"Well? Where are they?" Ryotaro asked with irritation. He couldn't believe Azuma took Kahoko and ditched them like that. How he got out of the café was beyond him, but the simple fact was that he left them behind and he was NOT happy about it.

"Hey, don't get so worked up." Kazuki held his hands up. "Kaho-chan needed some new clothes, which is understandable considering most of that milkshake spilt all over her."

"That's right." Mizue chipped in. "She sounded very distraught about it when she explained it to me behind the door."

Ryotaro wasn't convinced. He knew Kahoko wouldn't leave them without letting them know first, even with milkshake spilt all over her. There was something about this which rubbed him the wrong way, as though Azuma was taking advantage of the situation or even had more to do with it than he realised. But he will leave judgement until after he found them and got Kahoko to explain it to him personally, NOT with Azuma around.

"Fine, just tell me where they are and we will meet up with them there." Ryotaro sighed, trying his best to remain as calm as possible.

"They are at the department store." Kazuki smiled.

"… Which one?" Ryotaro asked, knowing there were about a dozen that he could think of from the top of his head.

Kazuki opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated, then closed his mouth when he realised… he didn't ask. Azuma didn't tell him either. "Ah shoot! I forgot to ask him that!" Kazuki quickly flipped open his phone and tried calling Azuma again, only… there was no response. All he was getting was his message bank which didn't help them at all. He tried a second time but when no answer came he decided to leave a voice message. "Hey Yunoki, can you give me a call as soon as you can? I forgot to ask which department store to meet you and Kaho-chan at! Get back to me soon okay?"

Ryotaro's anger began to steadily build from this. He didn't know whether to be angry at Kazuki's dopiness or the fact that Azuma 'conveniently' didn't answer his phone. Funny how the conversation with him ended only a minute ago yet NOW they couldn't get a hold of him. Was he thinking too deeply into this, or did Azuma know he forgot to get the name of the department store? He could have called back, or waited for Kazuki's follow-up phone call in case it slipped his mind as well. But no, instead he turned his phone off so there would be no way they could get the answer.

"Do you have Hino-san's phone number? Maybe you could try calling her." Mizue suggested.

"I don't." Kazuki sighed in disappointment.

"I do." Ryotaro said as he got out his phone, thinking what an idiot he was for not thinking of this sooner. Choosing Kahoko's number from his contact list, Ryotaro brought the phone to his ear and listened for the dial tone. Two seconds later, all three of them heard music coming from somewhere nearby. Mizue and Kazuki looked around quizzically while Ryotaro waited patiently for Kahoko to pickup… only…

"Um, Ryotaro…" Mizue said as she found the source to that musical ring tone. She had picked up Kahoko's handbag and pulled out her cell phone, which at present was lit up because of Ryotaro's incoming phone call. It was her old phone though, not the one Azuma gave her as that was purely for his use only. Thankfully it went unnoticed when Mizue put her phone back and placed Kahoko's bag back under the table, although it did nothing to sooth Ryotaro's irritation. He slowly cancelled the phone call and folded his phone shut, although he didn't put his phone back in his pocket. He instead gripped onto it so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white.

"Yunoki will call us soon." Kazuki tried to reassure him. "He's helping Kaho-chan don't forget. I'm sure once that's over and done with, he'll get back to us…" Kazuki believed this completely. Azuma explained the situation to him and knew he could trust him, but Ryotaro didn't have the same level of trust he did. He was convinced something was going on behind their back, and he was going to get some answers the moment he caught up with them again.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yay! Done at last! *collapses* Ugh, I'm so exhausted. Sorry for the delay… again. I know I promised weekly updates when I first started this story. And while it unintentionally stretched out to every two weeks, I'm wondering now if it should become three T_T I planned on updating a couple of days ago, sometime during the weekend yet look what happened lol... Ah well, such is life, always full of disappointments. I hope you can forgive me.

I hope this chapter was worth the wait as well… since… half of it was, err, Azuma taking advantage of Kahoko? ^^;; Well… I guess since there wasn't much Azuma-goodness in the last chapter, I wanted to make up for it in this one. I hope it was written okay. I did my best to make it sound as intimate as possible. It's a shame they didn't kiss again huh? Damn those interruptions! :P Oh well, better luck next time XP (To be honest it wasn't the right time or moment).

I didn't get to add everything I wanted to in this chapter – like Azuma buying Kahoko clothes or explaining what the handkerchief thing meant but I think that will be filled in as flashbacks in the next update. I need to get the story rolling again as this 'date' with Ryotaro has stretched on long enough. Azuma needs his chance to shine! XD

I thank you all for your continued support for my story, please let me know what you thought as your feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope I continue to please with the chapters to come. I have no idea when this story will end. The original plan was at 20 chapters but we shall see how that goes. However long it is, I hope you will all stick with me till then.

I also made another Azuma x Kahoko wallpaper as well. For those who are interested it's in my profile page again :) Also, it seems an OVA will be coming out and not a second season to La Corda D'Oro. Sorry for misinforming you, but I was misinformed too :P I keep coming across websites that say it's an OVA while others say it's a second season and ugh… whatever. Apparently it is an OVA, but I figure so long as they are continuing the story, that's the main thing. Perhaps if the OVA is popular enough then an official release of a second series will come out :P Fingers crossed.

Anyway, enough from me... Hope to see you in Chapter 12! :D


	12. Chapter 12

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. 'Serenade' by James Galway is an actual album, definitely worth getting if you are a fan of classical music. I don't have this album personally but I do have some others of his, and they are awesome. :D This is an Azuma x Kahoko story.

* * *

Chapter 12

FLASHBACK

Kahoko let out a little sigh as she watched a couple of fashion consultants walk back and forth between her change room. They were filling it with dozens and dozens of different outfits, which Azuma chose randomly from the stands. Kahoko originally thought this process would take about five minutes at most. But at the rate this was going, she will be close to trying nearly every item in the store. This wouldn't have bothered her so much if Azuma hadn't chosen such an overpriced location. When he mentioned 'department store' she was expecting somewhere that sold clothes at a reasonable price, not a place where shirts cost about as much as a wide screen TV!

What made things worse was that he was choosing every type of clothing one could possibly wear - coats, fancy tops, jackets, dresses, skirts, pants, even different types of footwear, gloves, scarves along with fancy beanies and berets... Okay, first of all, why did she need a hat? And what was wrong with her boots? They weren't affected by the milkshake spillage like her top and jeans... which could still be worn if she had something about knee length to hide the stains. Gloves she didn't need and her scarf was left at the café, she didn't need another one.

If Azuma would actually stop and ask her what she wanted, he wouldn't need to waste money like this... But then, he never seemed to care about that did he? This was like a constant reminder of how poor she was in comparison to him, even though her family weren't technically poor. Of course they couldn't afford such luxuries on a whim but they got by well enough with a little thing called 'saving' - something which she doubted Azuma knew the meaning of. She did try stopping him on several occasions but would he listen? No, of course not. It wasn't like this involved her or anything, even though these clothes were specifically for her! But the longer they spent here, the longer Ryotaro and Kazuki would have to wait for them.

What were they doing right now? Were they still at the café? She felt extremely guilty about leaving them the way they did… And she didn't like leaving her stuff behind, particularly her wallet and cell phone since they were necessities she just HAD to have with her at all times. It wasn't that she didn't trust the two boys. It was a paranoia thing really… Funny how a certain someone had those things though. Kahoko glared at Azuma while he continued choosing clothes like there was no tomorrow. The women with him seemed a little uneasy with the amount of outfits he was choosing, but made no effort to stop him either.

They were probably caught between the fact that if they did stop him, it may make an impact on how much Azuma intended to buy. With the amount of clothes he had chosen, they were probably hoping for a big sale to make this all worthwhile. If not, they were going to be stuck for a good hour or so putting them back. Kahoko certainly didn't envy them. But judging by their character, a bit of manual labour might do them a little good. They seemed like the type that cared too much about their appearances and expected to do as little as possible. She didn't doubt that they knew their products like the back of their hand, but it wasn't hard to tell that they preferred talking and fussing over themselves than doing the odd job or two.

"Almost done," Azuma informed as he walked up to her. "I just need one more thing."

"Eh?!" Kahoko exclaimed. "There's more?! Haven't you picked out enough?"

Azuma smiled. "Actually no, I could keep looking bu-"

"No!" Kahoko cut in. "Please don't Yunoki-senpai! I already feel guilty enough about this!"

"Guilty in what way?" Azuma asked as he tilted his head to the side.

"Well first this place is too expensive-"

"That is not your concern," Azuma interrupted. "If I was worried about prices, I can assure you I wouldn't be here."

"But I don't 'need' such expensive clothes!"

"You say that because you don't 'have' any expensive clothes." Azuma brushed a few locks of hair behind his ear. "Must you make a scene over such minor details?"

Kahoko narrowed her eyes on him, knowing he was purposely misinterpreting her words... "Okay, putting that aside for the moment, why did you pick so many outfits?"

"Because I didn't know what would look best on you," Azuma replied simply.

...Again he was missing the point. "But all I need is a top! You've picked out more than is necessary!"

He glared at her then. "Do you have a problem with my generosity?"

Kahoko was taken aback by that. "N-No it's not that, it's just... well... I already feel indebt to you for the other things you have bought me… Plus this now, I feel it will be years before I could ever pay you back." She didn't want to admit it but it was the truth. The dress he bought her when she was posing as his lover, the dress he bought when they went to dinner before his trip to England, the phone he gave her - that was too much considering all she did was invite him over for dinner - and now this. He never asked for any repayment, but knowing he had spent more on her than she had ever spent on herself in her whole seventeen years would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Azuma thought about her words for a moment and couldn't help but smile. He brought his hand towards Kahoko's face and stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek, barely even touching her but it still managed to make her breath still. "You make it sound like a bad thing..." Azuma whispered in a soft hypnotic tone which made Kahoko's heart flutter. "But there is a down side to it..." He leaned in a little closer before continuing. "...Which means I'll need to try a little harder."

"W-What do you mean?" Kahoko could barely get the words out while trying to ignore his sudden closeness.

"Well, years is a little vague, but the impression I get from it is that there will be an end at some stage." Azuma gave her a suggestive smile. "I'll make sure you never get the opportunity to reach such a goal... That way, you can spend the rest of your life paying me back..." He gave her a little wink. "Don't worry; I'll make sure it's a pleasurable experience."

Kahoko couldn't help but blush at what he was hinting. It was hard to tell if whether or not she should feel offended. Such words from anyone else would deserve to be slapped but in Azuma's case... the way he said it so seductively made it seem like a promise of all your dreams and desires coming true. It wouldn't be without a price of course but who could deny such a gorgeous man with his enticing words… lustrous eyes… and sensuous lips which drew you in and made you want to-

"Okay-I'm-going-to-change-now!" Kahoko quickly announced, not wanting to finish that last thought or tempt herself into acting on them. She quickly turned her back on him and was about to run for her change room but felt a pair of hands land on her shoulders, preventing her from going anywhere. She flinched at the contact but made no move to pull away. She wanted to, but lately her body seemed more content with submitting itself to Azuma's advances than doing the right thing and putting space between them... And the fact that she was blaming her body for this was a joke in itself since she was in control of it – or supposedly anyway.

"My, you're very energetic all of a sudden. How strange, considering seconds ago you were against even being here. I wonder what changed your mind..." Azuma pondered out loud, using a playful tone which indicated he knew all too well why. He felt Kahoko's body tense up at his touch, so he shifted a little closer to put her more on edge. "Did you forget what I said earlier?"

Kahoko couldn't believe he bothered asking that. How could she think straight when he purposely teased her at every given moment?! Especially now with his hands on her shoulders, she could feel their warmth seeping through her clothes to her skin, making her shudder slightly. But if that wasn't enough, she felt Azuma's lips as they drew close to her ear. They didn't make contact but his warm breath grazed against her sensitive spots, causing tingly sensations to run down her body. These actions weren't extremely intimate but anything involving Azuma seemed to be a heart pounding experience.

"W-What was it again?" Kahoko asked as she tried to ignore the effects he had on her.

Azuma smiled. "I need one more thing before you can start changing, remember?"

"O-Oh, right. What else did you need?"

His smile widened. "To put it simply..." Azuma turned her around to face him. "What I need..." His eyes lingered over her chest before lifting back to hers. "...Is your bra size."

Kahoko blinked, then blinked again and wondered at first if she had misheard him - like her mind was playing tricks on her. She then went into a state of denial where her mind couldn't comprehend him asking such a question. He had to be joking right? Surely this was one of those moments that Azuma expected to get a rise out of her, then after freaking out, he would dismiss it and say he didn't mean it. This was something she hoped and almost prayed for, but the look on his eyes made such hopes vanish. That left her with the truth, meaning Azuma really did want that information…

Realising this, Kahoko's eyes began to widen while her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Her face turned a bright shade of pink in both embarrassment and rage before yelling, "WHAT?! WHY DO YOU NEED MY BRA SIZE?! OF ALL THE THINGS YOU COULD ASK FOR, WHY DO YOU NEED THAT?!" She said this so loudly that it drew the attention of some customers and retail consultants who were nearby. Normally such attention would make her want to disappear in a puff of smoke but Azuma's outrageous request overshadowed all else.

Azuma stared at her blankly, knowing to expect a bit of disagreement but not for her to announce it to the entire store. He glanced around at their little audience and noticed after a while that they went back to minding their own business, probably thinking they were just couple of mindless, attention-seeking teenagers with nothing else better to do with their time.

Azuma let out a little sigh of annoyance before glancing back at Kahoko with narrowed eyes. "Was that really necessary? I'm standing right in front of you. There is no need to act like a child and throw a temper tantrum."

Kahoko glared at him and said through clenched teeth, "If you didn't ask for such ridiculous things I wouldn't have got angry to begin with."

A tiny smile graced Azuma's lips. "Come now, how can you complain when you were the one that chose to be here in the first place?"

"I didn't come here expecting to give you such information. If I knew, I would have reconsidered." Kahoko countered.

Azuma smirked then. "Did you forget the conditions that applied in coming here?" He began to quote the exact words he used in the bathroom earlier today, "'There are _two_ ways out of this. But instead of _me_ making the decision, I want _you_ to choose so you don't feel as though you were _swayed_ in any way… The second option will require a bit of _acting_ on your part, something you are very poor at but if you want to _get out of this_, you're going to have to do a reasonable job. Plus this option will give you a change of clothes, _provided_ you _meet_ some _requirements_ of mine...'" He purposely put extra emphasis on the words which held the most importance, in case this whole reiteration went over her head.

Kahoko couldn't deny she was slightly impressed by his memory, but now wasn't the time to be distracted. "That doesn't mean I'm going to tell you my bra size!"

"It comes under the 'requirement' category. Perhaps you should have asked what those requirements were before agreeing. Remember, you can't blame me for the option you chose." Azuma gave her a smug smile. "And besides, considering the state of your top, I know your bra would've been stained as well. I'm not about to buy you new clothes which you will end up dirtying the second you put them on."

His explanation made sense, to an extent, but it did nothing to ease the urge Kahoko had to punch him or ring his neck. Damn him! She should have known he wouldn't do something this generous without getting something in return! How stupid was she for even thinking he would be nice and help her out for once. She would storm out of here right now if she knew the way back to the café, but unfortunately they were in an area of the shopping district which she wasn't familiar with. She couldn't even call anyone for assistance since her cell phone was in her handbag, which was left at the café. This seemed far too convenient for Azuma. She was more convinced now that he had planned all this... but realising that didn't get her out of this predicament.

"... If I agree, can I at least choose my own bra?" Kahoko asked after a while. At least this way she wouldn't have to tell him her size or watch while he tried picking something out for her... god what an embarrassing thought that was.

Strangely enough, Azuma smiled brightly at her request, not minding at all the compromise she was proposing. "Sure, be my guest." He then gestured towards the lingerie section which happened to be next door. "Choose which ever design you like."

Kahoko was almost relieved until she actually looked at what the selection provided. Nothing but the skimpiest, most revealing, and most erotic types of lingerie were available. It was obvious what the intentions were behind such designs. No wonder Azuma was so willing to let her choose. Kahoko could feel herself blushing again, despite wishing she had a gun to shoot herself with... or Azuma since this was all his fault! Maybe running away didn't sound like such a bad idea after all.

Noticing her hesitation, Azuma smiled to himself and offered, "If it's too difficult, you can always give me your size and I'll pick something for you." The gesture may seem generous in other circumstances but in this case it was a bit difficult to take him seriously.

Kahoko couldn't take it anymore. Try as she might to tolerate Azuma's teasing, this request went beyond anything she could handle. Without thinking she began to explain her situation in hopes that he would understand.

"I appreciate you offering to buy me clothes Yunoki-senpai." Kahoko started, trying to keep her tone as calm as possible. "Thinking about it, maybe I can tolerate receiving a whole outfit and perhaps accept them at the wild prices they're being offered for. But what you're asking of me is NOT acceptable! I do NOT want to share such information with you and I know this doesn't seem like a big deal to you but it is to me! Think about it; if the situation was reversed, how would you feel if I suddenly asked for the size of your-" Realising what she was about to say, Kahoko went wide eyed and quickly brought a hand over her mouth to stop herself from saying the last crucial word to her sentence. But whether or not she said it made no difference, the effect was still the same. Azuma's eyes slowly widened while Kahoko wished someone could come and put her out of her misery.

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

"Wah! I can't believe I said that!" Kahoko groaned as she brought her hands up over her face in embarrassment. She shouldn't feel the need to hide since she was at home, alone in her bedroom with the door securely locked. But whether or not she was alone made no difference, she still felt like an idiot. What made her say such a thing? Was Azuma rubbing off on her more than she realised, or was this something she wondered in the dark corners of her mind? Kahoko's face reddened at the thought.

The only explanation she could think of was the time she saw him topless - which was totally unintentional and a big mistake on her part - but seeing him like that must have triggered such thoughts and made her mind wonder about... certain things. Why it didn't come up sooner she had no idea but thinking back on it, picturing him with his slender body... bare chest... and creamy skin which glowed faintly under the overhead light... How perfect... flawless... and smooth it looked.... How tempting it was to touch... How she wished she had the opportunity again...

Kahoko was in a daze for a good five minutes thinking about it, until she blinked and realised what she was doing. "Eh? Wait, I didn't just... was I...? OH MY GOD!" She needed to clear her head - badly. This definitely wasn't normal and certainly not healthy. Never in her life had she been so obsessed with someone before. It was wrong, and made her feel like even more of a fool for not having better things to think about. So her solution was music.

Technically something more productive would be the way to go, but she couldn't be bothered doing much else. Kahoko blamed that on the eventful yet stressful day she had, and thought it was a valid enough excuse. She reached with one hand for her walkman which was sitting on the headboard behind her and reached with the other for one of her shopping bags. Inside was the James Galway Serenade album which she bought earlier this morning. She removed the plastic cover around the case and was about to place the disc inside her walkman until it occurred to her this wasn't such a good idea. If she wanted Azuma out of her head, why was she about to listen to a flutist who performed some of the same songs he played during the concours?

Kahoko deliberated on it for a while but eventually inserted the disc into her walkman, closed the cover and placed her earphones inside her ears. Azuma was not going to prevent her from doing what she wanted. She had bought this for herself, so she was going to listen to it like she intended. Plus this was a different musician anyway, so their style wasn't going to be the same.

Once the CD started playing, Kahoko was immediately drawn to James Galway's music and felt herself being swept away by the soft, gentle notes of his flute. Each song was generally accompanied by a piano, harp, violin or occasionally a mini orchestra but the flute was always the prominent instrument. If the violin was featured in most of these songs, that would mean she could try playing them too. That was something worth thinking about.

After a few minutes of listening to the album, Kahoko could feel herself easing into a calm, peaceful state of mind where she could think more clearly about today's events and not get so stressed out about them. While she wanted to strangle Azuma for asking about her bra size, which she never told him in the end – something she was very proud about. He had his moments where he was strangely… kind and considerate…

* * *

FLASHBACK

Wanting any excuse to hide and be on her own, Kahoko ran to the lingerie section of the store, being sure to keep her head turned away from Azuma and chose the first thing that came within reach. Each bra came with matching underwear so there was no denying a set would need to be bought. And while she could sit and stare at each individual design, she knew she wouldn't like any of them so picking something at random seemed like a good idea. Well… it wasn't really but that wasn't her main concern right now. The one she chose was black and red from the quick glimpse she gave it but after one look at the tag and noticing it was her size, she quickly ran to the change room and swung the curtain closed behind her.

Azuma merely kept to himself while he watched Kahoko sprint by without so much as a glance in his direction. He couldn't deny he was… a little surprised by what she was about to say… Or to be more precise, very shocked. Of all the things he expected her to do or say, THAT certainly didn't cross his mind. It was just, so funny and so unexpected that it just left him totally speechless and stunned. For once he had no idea how to respond since it wasn't exactly something he got asked on a regular basis.

"Excuse me," one of the two fashion consultants walked up to him, "Would you like us to assist the young lady now?"

Azuma snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at the woman before him. "Oh, yes thank you."

He was relieved that neither of them heard what Kahoko said earlier; since the two of them were too preoccupied with mindless chit-chat after helping him select clothes. It wasn't until Kahoko rushed into the change room that they realised it was time to get back to work, hence asking if they could help her change. It wasn't that Kahoko couldn't manage on her own, but considering her age and how expensive these clothes were, they probably wanted to ensure they wouldn't get damaged. That was normal though; all the employees here had to take special care in dealing with their clientele since they were all generally wealthy and would need to be served with the best of care. Of course chatting away and ignoring them for a few minutes wasn't what they would normally do. They probably thought two teenagers weren't worth taking seriously. Oh well, he could fix that easily enough, but in this case he would let it slide. After all, they did him a favour by not paying attention.

"Oh, before you go." Azuma held out his handkerchief. "Can you please give this to her? She will need it." He intended to give this to Kahoko personally but after she put her foot in her mouth, he thought it would be best that he leave her alone for now. Not that this was something he could easily dismiss, but he needed to stay focused. It was hard enough to get Kahoko here and convince her to try these clothes on. He didn't need to scare her off by teasing her any more then he already had.

The consultant seemed a little confused by his request but took it with her as she and her colleague walked to Kahoko's change room. "Excuse me miss, can we come in? We're here to assist you."

"Oh, s-sure," Kahoko answered, relieved that it wasn't Azuma. She took a deep breath and parted the curtain so they could enter. The two women walked in without any hassle, since the room was big enough to comfortably fit ten or so people. One of them – the brunette Kahoko decided to title her, since she had no idea what her name was, started going through the range of clothes while the other – the blonde, held out something for her.

"This is from your boyfriend outside. He mentioned something about you needing it." The blonde woman advised.

"Eh? My what?!" Kahoko was about to protest that Azuma WASN'T her boyfriend but didn't get a chance to.

The blonde handed her Azuma's handkerchief and gave a little bow before saying, "Excuse us; we're going to start organising your clothes." She then walked to the other side of the room to assist her colleague while Kahoko examined the handkerchief for a moment. She recognised it was Azuma's and remembered how he had it under running water back at the café. It was still a little damp, but she had no idea what she was supposed to do with it. She tried thinking on it for a while but it wasn't long before the blonde returned.

"We have everything sorted, so let's start getting you changed." Before Kahoko could say anything, the blonde turned her around so Kahoko's back was facing her and slipped Azuma's long black coat off her shoulders. Once removed, she hung his coat on a wall away from the other clothes and turned Kahoko around to face her. When she saw Kahoko's top however, her eyes went wide as she exclaimed in shock, "Oh my god, what happened to you?!"

Kahoko didn't think it was such a big deal. But since these women looked as though they've never seen dirty clothes before, she figured it wasn't worth explaining. "It was just, a little accident…"

"A 'little' accident?" The brunette decided to have her say. "My god, you're a complete mess! You really need to learn to take better care of your clothes, especially if you are to wear these ones!"

Kahoko resented that. Did these women honestly think she was that much of a klutz? And how dare they talk to her like she had no idea how to keep clean! She could almost guarantee that outside of doing their hair and makeup, they probably had no idea how to do useful things like wash dishes and do their own laundry. There were plenty of things Kahoko felt tempted to say, but she kept her mouth shut and allowed these women to do her job. She didn't think that included undressing her but whatever - who was she to question the way the rich did things? Kahoko wouldn't be surprised if these women had their own maids at home who did the same thing.

"Well thank god you chose some lingerie." The blonde observed while barely able to hide her disgust. "Because your bra has certainly had it, not to mention your skin…"

Kahoko stared at her quizzically before looking down to see what she meant. Her once white bra had turned brown from the spilt milkshake, which was no surprise at this point. However her chest, along with the upper parts of her breasts and in between her cleavage were a faint brown colour. It would seem that some excess milkshake that didn't seep into her clothes had decided to dry up over her skin. And if that wasn't enough to irritate her, the stickiness certainly did… not to mention the looks the two women gave each other.

Before Kahoko got too upset about it, she remembered Azuma's handkerchief and realised what purpose it served. He had hinted at it earlier…

"_And besides, considering the state of your top, I know your bra would've been stained as well. I'm not about to buy you new clothes which you will end up dirtying the second you put them on."_

Then that time in the bathroom…

"_Are they gone?" Azuma asked as he turned the tap off and wringed his handkerchief._

"_Um, yes but… what are you doing?"_

"_Thinking about you…"_

"_I was being serious."_

"_So was I."_

Kahoko was stunned. Did he actually know she would need this back then? She didn't even think or realise it herself till now, but did he really deserve the praise? Azuma was either extremely thoughtful or had planned this moment before hand and knew she would need it. And as much as she would like to believe it was thoughtfulness on his part, Kahoko was convinced it was the latter.

But even knowing that… why did it still slightly impress her, and even make her heart skip with joy?

* * *

After wiping away the milkshake stains over her skin, Kahoko placed Azuma's handkerchief into the pocket of her jeans and noticed the next thing she had to do was change... and that was, unfortunately, into the lingerie.

While tidying up, Azuma had reassured the two consultants that he was going to pay for her undergarments, along with which ever outfit he decided to choose. They seemed a little hesitant about it at first but Azuma's charm and reassurance convinced them that he was going to keep his word – so there was no stopping her from putting them on. Not that Kahoko wanted to stay in her milkshake stained bra but she wished she didn't have to wear something so… provocative.

Kahoko had made the two women leave her change room before it got to that point. It was bad enough having them strip and dress her like a child that she didn't need them doing it with her undergarments as well. Another reason was because she didn't want them questioning her displeasure when she forced herself to put the lingerie on. Kahoko knew that she shouldn't feel embarrassed about it, since plenty of women bought things like this all the time – some even more suggestive. But Kahoko didn't picture this happening to herself until years later when she had a boyfriend, or when she was out shopping with a couple of friends. GIRL friends though, like Mio and Nao, or perhaps Nami… It was hard picturing Shouko doing this but even she would do it eventually. Yet here she was; without a boyfriend and trying on lingerie with Azuma just behind the curtain. This really seemed like someone's idea of a poor joke.

Slowly but surely Kahoko finally put the lingerie on, noticing the result wasn't as bad as she originally thought. It was a black contouring French lace bra with red satin underlay. It had a little red bow at the front and adjustable two-tone straps which were red and black in colour. The underwear matched the style of the bra with the same lace and satin design, along with the bow. And for a random choice, this lingerie was surprisingly cute, not to mention sexy.

Although Kahoko was a little surprised that Azuma hadn't asked anything about it. She half expected him to waltz in and see how she looked or throw in some inappropriate comment outside the curtain but… nothing came. Was he trying to be considerate for once and allow her to change in peace? Or was he still put off by what she said earlier? Or maybe he wasn't interested in seeing her half naked, assuming she wasn't worth looking at? …Okay, why did she feel half tempted to prove him wrong all of a sudden?

"Are you done?" The brunette asked as she peeked inside to see how she was doing. For a split second there, Kahoko heart leapt after assuming it was Azuma. But a second later when she realised it wasn't, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed… And why was that? Azuma giving her space wasn't supposed to be a bad thing. She should stop being such a pervert and keep her mind focused on the task at hand. She was going to see Azuma soon enough when she changed into the first outfit. There was no need to secretly encourage his wicked behaviour…

With the help of the two consultants, Kahoko found herself dressed much sooner than she originally anticipated. The two women stepped out of the change room and slid the curtain open for her while she slowly walked out, feeling suddenly very nervous. It was strange how minutes ago she was eager to see him, yet now all she wanted was to hide in a dark corner. All Kahoko could think about was whether or not the clothes suited her and if Azuma would like them. But then… that was the least of her problems. Azuma still had yet to say something about that last comment she made, and Kahoko had no idea when that moment was coming. She would prefer it sooner rather than later, but considering the hundreds of things he could say to embarrass her, there really wasn't a way to soften the blow was there?

Azuma eyed her up and down, taking in the outfit and how it looked on her. The sweep of his eyes over her figure made Kahoko's body stiffen in response, even though it wasn't meant to be an intimate gesture. She was wearing an ivory double breasted coat with four large black buttons and a belt which fastened like a bow tie at the front. It went to about mid-thigh in length while underneath she wore black leggings with zippers that ran from the hip down to her ankles. Her footwear consisted of chunky ankle high boots that were made of textural snakeskin type leather. The extra features included gold zippers and wrap around bands that encircled the ankle with silver buckles.

"Isn't it a stunning outfit? It looks so good on her!" The blonde gushed as she began commenting on the brands for each type of clothing, the style and what the latest trend was.

Azuma chose to ignore her though and walked up to Kahoko to straighten her collar, then her belt. "What do you think?"

Kahoko blinked, not expecting to be asked that. "U-Um, its okay I guess…"

Azuma didn't look convinced. He lowered his head towards hers and began whispering, "I didn't choose that coat with those boots. And those pants were to go with a different top. Were they not paying attention at all when I picked these out for you?"

Kahoko tried not to let his closeness distract her from the question. "… I-I suppose not…"

Azuma exhaled with annoyance. "And they call themselves 'fashion' consultants," he murmured before stepping away and walking up to the two women. He didn't express his displeasure with them accessorising with his choice of outfits. Apparently he had already chosen what he wanted to go with what. So this time he gave them specific instructions with what he wanted her to wear next.

Kahoko listened in, not really understanding the types of clothes he was suggesting but knew better than to question it. She didn't think the outfit she was wearing looked all that bad; but she had to admit they wouldn't be her first preference… Then again, if Azuma chose this for her, she would wear it without any complaint since this easily cost as much as a home entertainment system. Having that much money spent on her didn't leave much room for debate.

The two women seemed taken aback by Azuma's suggestions but did their best to look composed about it. Either they didn't agree with Azuma's choices or weren't used to being told how to do their jobs… possibly both. But no matter what they thought, Azuma was the customer, so they had to agree with whatever he requested. Azuma knew this all too well but went about it in a gentlemanly manner so they wouldn't feel 'too' offended. Kahoko knew better though.

From there, the choosing outfit process seemed endless. One after another, Kahoko tried on each outfit as instructed by Azuma but there always seemed to be something about it that he didn't like. Not that he had a problem with the clothes on her. He seemed to have an issue with something minor like the buttons being the wrong colour or the stitching not looking right. The two consultants did their best to take his criticism light-heartedly, but when the curtain was pulled, Kahoko could feel their irritation with the way they stripped her down roughly and rushed to get her into the next outfit. Kahoko couldn't deny she felt a little sorry for them, but surprisingly enough, she was having fun with this.

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

She thought it was strange at first but after thinking about it, what girl would detest wearing the latest fashion trends and designer labels? It wasn't something she generally did since their prices were way over her budget but the experience was great! And what made things better was that Azuma didn't mention anything about her strange words earlier. In fact it was almost like the incident didn't occur. He was surprisingly nice and she couldn't deny he had good taste in clothes. Okay, she already knew that. But it was nice to see his opinion applied to something other than fancy gowns.

He even educated her a bit by giving her little details about each outfit she tried on. Nothing like the long winded explanations the consultant tried mentioning earlier but things like what tops went better with certain skirts and pants, what colours went well together - depending on the vibe you were trying to create and what looked better during each season. She could go on.

Kahoko was still wearing the clothes he had bought her actually. She couldn't be bothered changing after she got home since these clothes were so nice and comfortable to wear. The only things she took off were the white beret, the pink scarf and the white leather gloves Azuma bought along with the outfit. But what she had on was a white crepe single-breasted coat with an attached pleated skirt section. It had long sleeves with black button tabs at the cuffs, two front pockets and a black buckle up belt around the waist. It looked good enough to wear as a two piece set, even though it was one, but Azuma wanted it left open so the dress she wore underneath could be seen. It was a cherry blossom pink silk crepe de chine dress with pleat ruffle detailing down the front, a rounded neckline and elbow length sleeves. The dress reached about her mid-thighs while her legs were covered by black stockings. Her footwear consisted of black slip on leather boots that reached her mid-calves and had about a two inch heel.

The outfit as a whole was very cute, but she couldn't deny it made her feel a little guilty. One reason was because of the price, which was a given from the very beginning. The other was that she didn't think she gave this outfit the attention it deserved. Like her lingerie, she felt it would look better on someone with more class, someone beautiful who stood with full confidence and had a flare about them that screamed attention even though it wasn't intentional… Kahoko on the other hand felt she lowered the outfit's standards if that was even possible. But she knew better than to tell Azuma, especially after what happened when these clothes were finally selected... Ugh... Those poor women...

Overall, choosing outfits with Azuma turned out to be more enjoyable than expected, even if the process took several hours to accomplish. But it wasn't just that... Being with him, she found out how thoughtful and generous he could be. That watch he bought for Miyabi was a good example. It was so beautiful that she wished her own brother would buy her presents like that.

He was very knowledgeable, something anyone would know from his top grades at school, but being able to see that knowledge applied to general everyday things amazed her. Like his brief history on engagement rings and the little details he mentioned about clothes were facts she could actually use and remember. How many guys could do that without being in the profession to know those things? Even most women wouldn't know, and they were more interested in jewellery and clothes than most men were.

And then there were the moments where Kahoko wanted nothing more than to wrap a noose around his neck… He was selfish, arrogant and always had to have his way in every given situation. He took advantage of her, teased her endlessly and at times made her feel like the most stupidest person to ever exist.

But, why couldn't she hate him for it?

Kahoko always forgave him for the things he did or said – without even an apology. She put up with him even though she had every right to put a restraining order on him. And whenever she did get angry with him, he did a very good job of making her feel guilty about it afterwards.

...There was something seriously wrong with her wasn't there?

Kahoko laid back on her bed and contemplated this while she continued listening to James Galway's music.

* * *

FLASHBACK

"I can't believe you just did that…" Kahoko sighed while she watched Azuma pay for her outfit. "They were just doing their job."

"If they were doing their job, I wouldn't have been forced to do that now would I?" Azuma said as he signed his credit card docket and handed it to the consultant that was serving them - a woman who didn't originally help them since the other two got fired, courtesy of Azuma.

Kahoko had to admit those women weren't exactly the easiest people to deal with. But while they grated on her nerves, she never would have gone as far as to fire them! That was just too much! "Yes but I still don't see why you had to do that."

"Here is your receipt sir." The woman serving him handed Azuma his final receipt after approving his signature. "And here is a bag with the young lady's things inside." Since Kahoko was wearing out what he bought her, Azuma arranged to have her other things placed inside a shopping bag.

"Thank you," Azuma gave her a sweet smile and took the bag from her. As soon as she walked off however, his smile quickly vanished the moment he turned to Kahoko. He found this conversation both unnecessary and annoying but decided to explain if it would mean she would drop it afterwards. "It's quite simple really; if you can't take your job seriously then you should consider looking for another one. I was merely giving them a push in the right direction.

"I did let their attitude slide once. But the way they silently questioned my taste in fashion, not to mention dress their customers without the greatest of care and look like they were going to shoot me after the fifth outfit change, I found myself getting quite irritated by them. With the amount of money I was willing to spend, I didn't like knowing it would go towards their pay cheques, so I did what I thought was necessary." Azuma didn't show the least bit of remorse towards his actions. Kahoko on the other hand was speechless.

"…But you just said 'silently'. They never actually said anything." Kahoko said after finding her voice again.

"It showed in their eyes and their attitude."

"But they didn't hurt me when they changed me or anything."

"There was always something I had to fix with your clothes." One example was when he had to straighten her collar and belt with the first outfit.

"Then about their impatience. I think it's justified since out of all the outfits you had me wear, you just 'happen' to choose the very last one. And I find that strange considering there were dozens and dozens of potential outfits. You were coordinating the selection. If you knew this outfit was the one, you should've had me try this on first before all the others!"

Azuma gave her an innocent smile. "All the outfits were nice in different ways. I just wanted to see how they looked before I went with the one I liked, that's all."

Kahoko gapped at that. "Oh my god, you did that on purpose… You just wanted an excuse to fire them."

"Like I would waste my time with that…" Azuma rolled his eyes. "Besides, it wasn't me that fired them – it was their manager. I just merely expressed my displeasure with their service, and if their manager decided to take me seriously then great. I feel I have done this place a favour." Azuma spoke like this was a minor inconvenience, but there was no denying he took some pleasure in it. Kahoko on the other hand was dumbfounded. Since when did expressing your 'displeasure' lead to the extremes of getting not one, but two people fired?! He could seriously be ruthless when he wanted to be, and here she thought she had seen the worse of him… Azuma truly was the devil.

"Ah, before I forget, can you get my coat please? I think it was left in your change room." Azuma said, taking this moment to change the subject.

"Oh." Kahoko forgot to get that for him after she retrieved her own things. "Sure, I'll be right back." After she turned and walked away, Azuma remained where he was and took that opportunity to look inside her bag. The only thing he wanted to look at was her bra, and once he got her size after looking at the tag, he smiled to himself allowed the shopping bag to dangle by his side once more. Like he said before, this was a requirement of his and he wasn't about to let Kahoko off the hook without getting what he wanted. If she thought she could get away with that, then she seriously needed a reality check.

"I've got it!" Kahoko announced as she rushed over with his coat.

"Ah, thank you." Azuma smiled as he took it from her. "Now, please put these on." He reached into the pocket of his pants and handed her a pack of bandages. He bought them on a little side trip before reaching the department store, something he knew Kahoko would need if they were to get out of their next predicament.

"Eh? What are these for?"

"Remember you lied to Sakimoto-san about cutting your hands? You will need them to prove that cover story."

"But I thought the gloves would hide that."

Azuma smiled thoughtfully. "I have a strange feeling that won't be enough."

Kahoko was curious about that, but did as instructed and began bandaging her fingers. While he waited, Azuma got out his cell phone and turned it on to see how many messages he had received. He expected to see a couple, since he knew Kazuki would have called back after forgetting to ask about their location. But when he saw the amount, Azuma stared at it blankly in bewilderment. Was he seeing this correctly? Twenty three missed calls? He looked into the details of each call, noticing three of them were from Kazuki but the other twenty came from a number he didn't have on his contact list.

Azuma resisted the urge to laugh, knowing all too well who the mysterious caller was. 'Ah Tsuchiura-kun, you're impatience amuses me.' He would almost feel sorry for him if he had the sympathy to spare, which he did but not for someone like him. Azuma also had too much fun with Kahoko to regret his earlier actions. He would do it all again in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself.

But seriously, who the hell did Ryotaro think he was, calling every five to ten minutes like he had nothing else better to do? It wasn't like he was trapped in a steel cage. There would have been plenty of things he could have done with Kazuki to pass the time. Azuma even told Kazuki what he was doing; it wasn't all a complete secret. He had also agreed to meet up with the two boys here. Even though he knew Kazuki forgot to ask about their location, it was implied that Azuma would call him back with their whereabouts. So really, what was the need to contact him so desperately? It was pathetic, not to mention annoying.

But whatever, no big deal, Azuma expected this so dealing with Ryotaro shouldn't be too difficult. Although that depended on Kahoko and what she would say to him later… This concerned him above all else.

"Hino, you are aware that this isn't over right?" Azuma asked while Kahoko finished placing the last bandage on her index finger.

"Not over?" Kahoko asked quizzically, assuming they still had shopping to do.

"We need to meet up with the others now." Azuma clarified as he raised his phone to his ear. He wasn't going to make any calls yet, but he was going through all the voices messages that were left for him. One was from Kazuki, then there was another from him. Then it was Ryotaro… Ryotaro… Ryotaro… and more Ryotaro… Azuma let out a frustrated sigh but continued to sit through each and every message, noticing Ryotaro's tone becoming more and more agitated by the call. It was funny before but this was just ridiculous now.

"Oh... right." Kahoko couldn't believe she forgot about Ryotaro and Kazuki. Earlier on she couldn't wait to leave and catch up with them. But now, she couldn't believe her time with Azuma had ended so soon. Then again, she came here officially with Ryotaro didn't she? He must be pretty upset with her after she had ditched him without a proper explanation. He will be expecting one when they meet up again too. Kahoko groaned at the thought, knowing she would have to do a bit of lying for Azuma's sake. But then, what right did she have to judge?

It wasn't like Azuma cuffed her to his arm so she was forced to follow. She 'chose' to go with him willingly. But how could she do that to Ryotaro? He was always such a good friend to her. Always giving her his support in everything and always offering to help her during her times of need… and for what? For her to not only arrive late at his soccer game but tune out during the first half, leave him not even an hour into their shopping trip to chase after Azuma and finally at lunch ditch him so she could spend several hours with Azuma choosing clothes. There really was no excuse for her actions. She was in the wrong, and that made her a terrible person...

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

Kahoko's thoughts drifted from there… Even though there was still that confrontation with Ryotaro and Kazuki to think about… it all seemed so insignificant right now. It wasn't that she didn't care, but she was in a state of mind where all she wanted to do was sleep… Just sleep… But she still needed to change didn't she? Plus she hadn't eaten since lunch time… And there was school tomorrow… Did she have any assignments due…? Any tests coming up…? School… oh… that would mean seeing 'him' again too… seeing… Azuma…

"_It's a reward, Hino." Azuma advised thoughtfully._

Eh…?

"_A reward?" Kahoko questioned._

Huh…?

"_Because you made me enjoy myself during the concours, after all." Azuma confessed as stared into her golden eyes._

_Kahoko stared back at him thoughtfully._

Oh, this was back at summer camp, after the concours had ended. Azuma had requested that she meet up with him after dinner one night and he took her to that garden where he…

"_I'll play one song especially for you…" Azuma said as he glanced over his flute before looking in her direction. "Just for you…" His smile was serene while his soft hypnotic voice held promise in those words. _

_Kahoko was a little startled by this, a faint blush gracing her cheeks while she anticipated Azuma's performance. _

This was the first time she had seen Azuma so kind and charming – and actually seem to mean it. While she didn't think it held any special meaning, other than thanking her for something she didn't think necessary, she couldn't deny she felt very drawn to him then, especially when he started to play.

_That song… she had no idea what it was but no words could describe how deeply beautiful it was. Its heavenly tune resonated across the garden while the Queen of the Night flowers slowly bloomed one by one, as though wanting to listen to his performance as well. The song touched her heart and put her in a state of rapture. Steadily she was losing herself to its enchanting melody. Her heart beats began to quicken while the blush in her cheeks became more prominent. She stared at Azuma with secret longing, feeling oh so tempted to throw herself at him. When their eyes met at one point of the song, Kahoko's heart nearly leapt to her throat. That burning desire to close the gap between them increased, and if it weren't for Azuma breaking contact and focusing on the last part of the song, she knew she would have gave in._

_Once the song was over, Azuma looked back at her again with a gentle yet alluring smile and asked, "How was it? Was it to your liking?"_

Something changed at that point. Instead of Kahoko staring at the ground and replying with a shaky 'yes', she began to slowly walk up to him. Azuma continued to smile as he watched her draw near. He couldn't deny he was a little curious about her sudden approach, but he was more intrigued than anything else. Kahoko didn't know if it was the song or the flowers that influenced this feeling, but she couldn't resist the urge she had to be near him. Only a few steps separated them, yet the journey to get there seemed endless.

When the distance between them finally closed, Kahoko reached out without hesitation and brought her hands over either side of his face. Normally such actions would be too bold for someone like her. But in this case, she didn't seem to care – or notice. His skin was very soft and silky smooth, and the dire need to feel more began to increase by the second. Being near him was one thing but touching him was on a whole other level.

Azuma seemed surprised by her touch at first, but while unexpected, he didn't pull away. Instead, she noticed a change in his eyes as their depths reflected a promise of something deep and wondrous for her. There was no need to ask what it was since she would have accepted anything from him at this point. He dropped his flute on the grass nearby and encircled her waist with his long slender arms. He pulled her against his body which was so warm and comforting that it felt as though this spot was made for her and her alone.

He then lowered his head towards hers and Kahoko felt his lips as they gently brushed against her own. The emotions that swept through her from that brief contact nearly knocked her out cold since it was so overwhelming and intense. But after the initial shock of it all, she longed, craved and desired more, much more. It wasn't long before their kiss deepened and became more intimate… however, that's when reality came crashing down and Kahoko suddenly woke up.

She gasped and sat up from her bed with the look of terror and confusion in her eyes. She had broken into a sweat and her breath came out in short quick gasps. What was that all about?! When did she fall asleep?! Or more importantly, why did she dream about k-k-kissing Azuma?! … And why could she still hear that song?!

Thinking she was still in a dream, Kahoko quickly got off her bed but forgot she was still listening to her walkman. Her sudden movement jerked the walkman off the mattress, along with the CD case, causing them to crash onto the floor. Her earphones slipped out of her ears as a result of their fall, and when they did, nothing but silence filled the room. It took Kahoko a moment to realise what had happened, since she was still freaking out over her dream. But after a minute or two of deep breaths and reassuring herself that the dream meant nothing, Kahoko glanced down at her walkman and carefully picked it up off the ground. Thankfully the fall didn't damage it, all it did was pause on the song she was listening to – track fifteen.

Placing the walkman on her bed again, Kahoko picked up the CD case and scanned over the song listing to see what track fifteen was called. It was titled 'Notturno d'amore "Serenade"'. Suddenly curious about the song, Kahoko sat back on her bed and brought the earphones back to her ears before playing it from the beginning. When it started, Kahoko's eyes began to widen as she realised this song was indeed the one Azuma played for her that night at summer camp. It was a little different from his version, but it was definitely the same song. While dosing off, this song must have triggered that memory from when he played it for her… although that didn't explain the alternate ending.

Kahoko began to blush as she recalled the way they kissed. It surprised her at first, since she couldn't comprehend the thought of doing anything like that with Azuma… But she couldn't deny the thought… pleased and even excited her. Listening to this song was making her feel as though she was in the moment again. Her heart began to beat rapidly while she could almost smell the sweet scent of the Queen of the Night flowers. But that wasn't normal was it? If a song could trigger such strong feelings in her, it would mean it had to hold some special relevance. Was the dream trying to tell her that she had harboured feelings for him since the moment he played that song? Or even before then? When did this even happen? How long had she… felt this way? Or more importantly, how was she to deal with it?

* * *

**Author's Note:** Wow, my longest chapter yet. I really need to stop doing that. I was tempted to cut a lot of things out of this chapter to make it shorter but… in the end I decided to keep everything after all. I could have split it into two parts I suppose… But then I didn't think it would read right if it was sliced down the middle. Oh well, consider this a two in one chapter since it's been practically a month since I last updated :P Sorry about that. While there were writer's blocks and lack of motivation, I was having some family issues which made it a little difficult to write. But moving on…

Instead of carrying on from Chapter 11 outright, I tried putting in the scenes that followed as flashbacks so I could move the story along. Between each scene I had Kahoko reflect on those moments while thinking about how it made her feel. I figured with everything that happened; it was bound to leave a heavy impact on her. So I guess this chapter was dedicated to her – consider it an early birthday present Kaho-chan! XD

The next chapter should feature what happened when Azuma and Kahoko finally met up with Ryotaro and Kazuki – in extra flashbacks, and how the three boys were affected by the day as a whole. Kahoko will still be featured of course, although she'll be trying to come to terms with something other than what the day brought her ;-)

And just one more thing I would like to add: I KNEW A SECOND SERIES WAS COMING OUT! I was so annoyed when there was all this speculation about it being an OVA, so I thought I would correct myself in the last chapter. Yet recently I've been told it IS a second series. So you know what? I'm just going to shut up and relish the fact that the series is continuing regardless. :P …Although when it comes out, I won't probably be able to resist gushing about it every now and then XP

Thanks very much for reading; I hope the length wasn't too unbearable. I'll definitely make the next update 'slightly' shorter XP Take care, and I hope to see you again in the next chapter! Hopefully in two weeks time! I must stick to that guide line! But don't hold me to it! I'll do my best though! XP


	13. Chapter 13

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story, featuring a bit of Kazuki x Kahoko and Ryotaro x Kahoko… again. *sigh* Don't worry Yunoki-senpai, you'll be back under the spotlight soon enough XP

* * *

Chapter 13

Kahoko was on her way to school, or at least, that was the intention. She left with enough time to dawdle, but so far her walk had been nothing but a blur. Would anyone care if she curled up on the sidewalk and passed out for a few hours? She glanced at the ground and almost felt half tempted to act on those thoughts, until Azuma suddenly crossed her mind... again. When that happened, Kahoko quickly shook her head in a desperate attempt to clear her mind. But if it was really that easy, she wouldn't have had any issues sleeping last night. Ever since she had that stupid dream with Azuma at summer camp, she couldn't get him out of her head. Thinking about him wasn't necessarily painful. While unexpected, you'd think you could have pleasant dreams if you were staring into the face of Seisou's Prince Charming. But that was only if it stayed that way. When he actually moved to take advantage of you; that's when you had every right to wake up screaming… although, he wasn't exactly the ONLY one that made a move…

Come to think of it, Azuma didn't actually DO anything until she did something first. After that, he was willing to comply with any of her heart's desires, or his, it was hard to tell - but how could she pin the blame when it was all in her head? Technically, whatever happened was still orchestrated by her. So really, she had nothing to stand by when it was her own fantasies creating this 'Azuma' in her dreams. That evil, wicked, calculating, yet beautiful man that she would love to hurt if he didn't look so god damn gorgeous! Kahoko brought her hands to her temple, feeling a migraine coming on. At least she woke up before things got too intimate between them. That had to mean something… even if it happened nearly every hour of the night, with an abnormally high body temperature, and with her pyjamas drenched in sweat… Ugh, who was she kidding? Azuma WAS getting to her, whether she liked it or not.

Kahoko would have loved to have had off today, but it wasn't like her mother would approve of her reason. What could she say? 'Sorry, I can't go today because I kept dreaming about Yunoki-senpai all night'? Yeah, that would go down well. She wasn't the best liar either. So even if she made an excuse which she would deem reasonable, her mother would still see right through it and probably expect an explanation. All she could hope for now was to not fall asleep in class. But like her lying, she didn't have much faith in that either. On her better days she already had a hard time staying focused. And with her concentrate shot, along with her being unable to walk in a straight line, she had this sinking suspicion she wasn't going to last long.

"Hino-san!"

Kahoko glanced up from the pavement and noticed Nami waving ecstatically at her from the front gate. Oh, so she did make it to school. Kahoko wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She paled at the sight of the Press Club member and wondered if it was too late to hide. As nice as Nami could be, Kahoko didn't have the energy to endure any surprise interviews or watch as Nami tried probing her mind for particular information. Kahoko usually did a good job avoiding any personal questions but in her current state, she doubted she could keep her guard up for long. As she watched the wavy haired girl approach, Kahoko silently hoped that she wouldn't regret her decision in coming today.

"Good morning Hino-san!" Nami smiled brightly as she jogged up to her. "How are you this morning?"

Was that meant to be a joke? Kahoko half expected her to comment on her appearance. Maybe she didn't look as bad as she felt then. Or maybe it was just Nami's exceedingly good mood which blinded her to all else's miserable states… That sounded more accurate. "I'm fine, how are you Amou-san?" Like she couldn't tell already but she had a feeling Nami wanted to share her reasons why.

"Good! Better yet, great actually!" Her smile widened, "I have something exciting to tell you! But before that, I want to give you this." She pulled out from her bag an envelope which Kahoko immediately recognised as the photos from the second photo shoot. She could tell since it was the same type of envelope which held the previous set, plus there were no other photos Kahoko could think of which Nami would want to give her. Nami certainly had great timing though. If Kahoko didn't already feel gloomy enough, here was something which was sure to dispirit her all the more. But regardless of that, Kahoko forced herself to smile and accepted the photos.

"Eh?" Nami noticed her bandaged fingers. "What happened to you?"

Kahoko merely glanced at her hands and shrugged, "I just got a bit careless. It's no big deal." Azuma made her put these on yesterday to better prove their story to Ryotaro and Kazuki. But even after that, she was expected to keep them on for at least a few days while her apparent injuries healed.

"Oh really?" Nami eyed her suspiciously. "Why do I have this feeling it's more than your letting on?" Kahoko averted her gaze, knowing all too well that she may give something away without intending to. While she kept the bandages on for Azuma's sake, she didn't expect them to draw attention so soon. If Nami noticed then certainly Mio and Nao would, and whoever else she happened to bump into today. Great, now she needed to figure out a cover story with her barely functional mind. Where was Azuma when she needed him? There was no way she was going to tell Nami the truth, but there was no way she could come up with something to satisfy her current curiosity so she tried changing the subject.

"U-Um, thank you for these, Amou-san. Did the photos turn out okay?" Hopefully Nami's photography skills would be enough to drop the subject on her hands - since she adored her camera and loved taking photos. And sure enough, Nami's eyes lit up at the mention of the photo shoot, which allowed Kahoko to relax - for the moment.

"Better than okay! They were amazing, much better than the first set!" Nami gushed while Kahoko had a hard time believing her. Unless she was referring to Azuma, there was no way this photo shoot was better than the first – especially in her case. Kahoko was very much aware of her terrible performance and was surprised Hanako hadn't replaced her yet. She failed in the looks department and her attitude certainly didn't shout 'dedication'.

As though sensing Kahoko's discouragement, Nami pat her on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry Hino-san. I know you had some difficulties in the beginning, but overall the photo shoot was a success. Kirishima-san told me herself that your photos can still be used. Besides…" Her lips curved into a wicked smirk as went on with her voice lowered. "…The shots with you posing with Yunoki-senpai made it all worthwhile! Seriously, you two were so into each other that your photos almost made me blush!"

Nami was only teasing of course, but Kahoko didn't notice the playful tone she used. She could barely even register what Nami was saying. Her words looped through her mind like a broken record, but Kahoko's sleep deprived state had its own agenda – something which involved a bed, closing her eyes and passing out. It was like sitting through a lecture while your thoughts were somewhere else entirely. You wouldn't even notice until either a question was directed at you or the lecture was suddenly over. Then you'd be stuck wondering just what you had missed. Fortunately for her – or unfortunately, Nami wasn't done yet.

"Oh, and who could forget that 'other' photo with you kissing Yunoki-senpai? Too bad you weren't quick enough to catch his lips, but a kiss on the cheek is better than nothing right?"

Okay, that did it. If Nami's teasing hadn't registered earlier, this comment certainly did. It was like a punch in the gut, metaphorically speaking, although once the magazine was published, Kahoko could look forward to it in the literal sense and several times, plus more.

"NO!!!" Kahoko suddenly grabbed Nami by the arms. "You've got to be kidding! You can't use those, especially not that! Please get rid of them!" She could still vividly remember the way Azuma held her, touched her and took advantage of her in front of the camera. It was embarrassing enough to have Nami and Hanako witness the whole event that she didn't need the general public to see it too! Of course she should have thought about that before allowing such shots to be taken. But how could one possibly think in that kind of situation, especially when Azuma controlled her like a stringed puppet? Oh, and who could forget that shot where she actually kissed him? Did she have a lapse of common sense at the time, or a possible death wish? Because if anyone from Azuma's fan club saw that shot, she might as well hang herself right now to save the trouble.

Nami stared at Kahoko blankly, wondering why she was getting so worked up over a few photos. Her eyes were wide with horror, while her face had paled considerably… Was that because of her, or something else? She didn't say anything before but Kahoko did look a little off today. From a distance, Kahoko moved like the living dead, while close up she could see dark rings under her eyes. The young journalist was concerned about this, but before she could say anything, she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of another student.

"Kaho-chan!"

Kahoko jumped when she heard Kazuki's voice behind her. It was surprisingly loud which made her assume he was standing right behind her, and if he had been listening just now… Kahoko quickly turned to explain herself, but carelessly dropped the envelope she had tucked under her arm. Kahoko let out a gasp as a few photos slid out of their little pouch, but thankfully landed with the white side up. Before Kahoko could retrieve them all, one got caught in the wind and blew towards Kazuki who was just a few steps away. He wasn't as close as Kahoko originally thought, but not far enough to give her any measure of comfort. If he picked up that photo and it happened to be one with her and Azuma… Kahoko gapped at this and quickly ran to get it before him. Kazuki eyed the item in question and bent down to get it. It wasn't that he knew what it was, or was curious to find out. He just wanted to help. But as he picked it up, Kahoko was only seconds away from grabbing it herself, and in her mad rush to retrieve it, she tripped unexpectedly and lost her balance.

At that moment, Azuma had just arrived in his chauffer driven car. When the door was opened, he stepped out and was greeted as per usual by his little fan club. But a short distance away, he noticed Kazuki pick something up from the ground and watched as Kahoko suddenly collided into him. The impact caught Kazuki off guard which resulted in him falling back first to the ground with Kahoko landing on top of him. Dozens of students from both the General and Music department watched the spectacle in shock while Azuma merely eyed the two of them blankly. Nami knew now would be a good time to run over and help Kahoko but instead, she found herself slowly lifting her camera with the lens zooming in on the poor couple. She knew it was wrong, but how could she pass up such a golden opportunity?

Kahoko didn't seem to notice the situation she was in until she swiped the photo out of Kazuki's hand. She was so determined to get it off him that when her actions finally registered, Kahoko went as stiff as a board. That didn't just happen… She didn't really tackle Kazuki to the ground just now… Did she…? Kahoko swallowed nervously and glanced down to see that she had indeed tackled the green haired upperclassman. He was staring up at her in both shock and embarrassment while Kahoko stared back in the same manner. They both knew they had to move or say something to break the awkward moment, yet they continued to gaze at one another just like that time at training camp. Their faces weren't as close this time around since Kahoko was propped on her elbows and knees, but it didn't make the situation any easier to deal with. Not when Kahoko had one of her knees positioned between Kazuki's legs while her hand grasping the photo was resting against Kazuki's open palm.

Nami took several shots of this, since it wasn't often something as interesting as this happened. Technically it was no big deal, Kahoko tripped and landed on Kazuki. It wasn't front page material. But in Nami's mind, she could see a stroke of 'Violin Romance' come into play. It wasn't just in her mind either. She could see the way the two concour participants stared at one another with eyes full of emotion. And while this moment may have been unexpected, their bright pink faces indicated that it wasn't such a bad turn of events. Oh… but what about the rival? Nami turned the lens of her camera towards Azuma and noticed the way he watched the two of them with a vacant expression. Nami frowned, expecting to see more than that but continued to watch.

Azuma slowly exhaled, allowing some of his pent up frustration to ease out of his system. It wasn't much but it kept him composed enough to finally approach. It was strangely difficult to figure out what to do or say in a moment like this. Kazuki wasn't at fault for what happened, but Azuma still felt tempted to walk over and kick him in the ribs. Nothing against him personally, he just didn't like the way he was eyeing Kahoko and made no move to get up. But then, how could he when Kahoko remained unmoving on top of him? Azuma ground his teeth together and felt the urge to smack Kahoko behind the head if it would snap her out of that stupid trance she was in. But instead, he kneeled down beside her, brought one hand over her shoulder and offered the other to help her up.

"Are you alright, Hino-san?" Azuma asked; doing a very good job of looking like the caring upperclassman he supposedly was.

Kahoko blinked, as though finally coming to her senses and turned to look at Azuma. She hadn't realised it was actually him until their gazes met, and when they did, Kahoko's body locked into place like she had been turned to stone. This couldn't be happening. Trust her bad luck to make her endure not only an embarrassing moment with Kazuki – in front of the entire school – but have the embodiment of evil grace her with his presence at the same time. So much for having no regrets in coming today. But considering the situation she was in, she found herself suddenly fixated on Azuma's hand resting over her shoulder. The gesture wasn't meant to be intimate, she knew that, yet for some reason her body was assuming otherwise. His warm touch sent a slight shudder down her spine, causing her body temperature to rise dramatically. Her pulse rate quickened while her heart began to beat loud and hard against her chest. Oh god, she was in trouble…

"Hino-san?" Azuma tried getting her attention by bringing his extended hand over her face, since she made no attempt to take it earlier. But the second his hand grazed her cheek, Kahoko jumped like she had just been electrocuted. The jolt also made a rush of images flash across her mind. They were scenes from a series of different dreams she had last night, all revolving around Azuma. It was like her mind was conspiring with her heart to make those fantasies a reality. Like hell that would ever happen! And why was her brain choosing now of all times to work but for the wrong reasons?! While fighting with herself, she noticed after a moment that Azuma watching her in deep thought. His eyes searched hers in an attempt to find whatever the problem was. Too bad he didn't look at the obvious and see just what her eyes reflected from the outside and not from within. But she wasn't about to let him figure it out. Kahoko quickly shuffled away to put distance between them. She moved so quickly that a dust cloud followed after her. Azuma gave her a perplexed look but remained where he was, especially since she looked as though she had seen a ghost.

Kahoko didn't mean to back away so abruptly, that was purely on instinct. She was glad it happened though, because if she allowed Azuma to touch her anywhere else, it may possibly be him on the ground next, and that wouldn't be on accident… Wait, what? She did NOT just go there, did she? Oh god she really was losing her mind. Before Kahoko got too distracted by her own dirty thoughts, she quickly bowed her head and said loudly, "I'm so terribly sorry! Please forgive me! I didn't mean for this to happen!" She raised her head again, but instead of looking at Kazuki – who had finally sat up at this stage, she looked directly at Azuma and murmured, "Please… forgive me…"

Azuma raised an eyebrow then. But Kazuki, who assumed the apology was for him shook his head and said, "Kaho-chan, it was an accident. You don't need to-" Before he could finish, Kahoko had got up from the ground and ran away, leaving the two boys to watch after her silently.

Nami lowered her camera then, feeling strangely satisfied by everything she had just captured. Such a minor incident turned out to be more dramatic than she originally anticipated. But something didn't make sense to her. The way Kahoko apologised just now, who was that directed to exactly? Nami thought it was for Kazuki, which was understandable considering the situation. But when Kahoko's eyes locked on Azuma's, that made her wonder if it was actually for him instead. But why apologise to someone who you hadn't done anything bad to? Azuma had walked over to offer his assistance, nothing else happened. Unless if, maybe, Kahoko was apologising for backing away from him? She pondered on that for a moment but frowned at how boring it sounded. If Nami were to assume anything, it would be that Kahoko got so embarrassed by being caught like that with Kazuki that she didn't want Azuma taking it the wrong way. That would be interesting, but somehow…

Nami suddenly felt a cold shiver run down her spine, which was weird since there was no wind blowing at the moment. She glanced up and noticed Azuma turning his gaze towards Kazuki. He looked concerned and asked him something which Kazuki replied with a small nod. They both got off the ground and exchanged a few more words before Azuma helped dust him off. Nami stared at him for a while, wondering where his gaze was before she caught him turning back to Kazuki. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion but decided to let it go.

After she walked off, all other students that were watching had decided to head to class too. Azuma exhaled with relief, glad that the spectacle was finally over, although he was extremely annoyed at Nami. How could she just stand there and take photos while Kahoko clearly needed help? What also got to him was that Nami would probably turn this into front page material for the school's newspaper. If things weren't going to be bad enough for Kahoko and Kazuki, she will certainly add fuel to the fire and support this big lie about there being something between them. There weren't any rumours yet, but it was obvious some were going to start, and all he could hope was that he wouldn't be included.

"How could I put her through that…?" Kazuki asked himself angrily as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Azuma watched him for a moment. "It will be fine Hihara, it's not like you intended this to happen…"

"Yeah but, still, I…." Kazuki began to blush. "…I can't believe it happened again…"

Azuma's eyes widened at those words while it only just occurred to Kazuki that Azuma didn't know anything about the first incident. He turned in shock towards his long haired friend and shook his hands wildly, "A-Ah! T-that is, err, y-you see, n-nothing happened that time either! A-Again, a-another accident, haha... " Kazuki's face turned a bright shade of red as he recalled what happened at training camp. It was strange being on the receiving end of the fall this time, although it helped to understand how awkward it must have been for Kahoko. It was awkward for him too but, part of him, was a little excited by it. Was that a bad thing? He started to feel extremely guilty about those feelings, and yet, it still didn't stop him from thinking about how soft and warm she was, and how nice she smelt. He could still remember those sensations from training camp too.

"…Hihara?" Azuma eyed his friend quizzically, "What are you thinking about?"

Kazuki jumped and quickly shook his head, "N-Nothing! It was nothing, nothing at all!" It was then that the first bell sound, which Kazuki was thankful for. "Oh, we better head to class! Don't want to be late!" He walked briskly towards the Music Department, grateful that he didn't have to explain himself - at least for the time being. Azuma watched after him with his gaze narrowing to a murderous glare.

* * *

As Azuma predicated, news of Kahoko and Kazuki's incident this morning had spread throughout the school by lunch time. While the fact remained that Kahoko had knocked Kazuki to the ground, there were wild speculations about how it happened and the meaning behind it. There was mention of Kahoko tackling Kazuki out of sheer joy of seeing him - making some believe they were an item but seeing each other in secret. Another was that they had some lovers' quarrel and Kahoko was about to hit him but Azuma stepped in and put an end to it - this added some brownie points to his reputation. And then there were some who questioned just who Kahoko was going out with. During the concours there had been a little rumour about Kahoko dating Ryotaro, and while it wasn't true, it never actually got resolved. So now, with this speculation of there being a possible romance between her and Kazuki, students were wondering if she was dating him, Ryotaro, or possibly both of them.

Azuma was currently on the rooftop of the Music Department. His excuse for being there was to practice his flute, but in actual fact it was to get some space. He had been eating lunch with Kazuki in the forest plaza, but he could barely stomach his food when students came to pester them every five minutes about this morning. While the rumours weren't about him specifically, Azuma had still been there to witness the event, so when Kazuki would deny anything had happened, students would turn to him hoping to prove otherwise. It was annoying. He didn't need to be constantly reminded of what happened, especially when Kazuki let it slip that this wasn't the first time. And if that wasn't enough to make his blood boil, it was the way Kahoko reacted when he tried helping her.

He was in a position where he could have walked off and pretended not to see anything. But no, he had willingly walked over to offer his assistance, and for what? For her to not only look at him like he was some kind of weirdo, but move ONLY when he got too close. She seemed more than content to sit on Kazuki all day, yet the moment he approached it was like he was too embarrassing to be around. Azuma tightened his grip around his flute, as though wishing it was someone's neck. It was then that he heard the door open. Azuma looked over his shoulder to see who it was, hoping by some stroke of luck that it was Kahoko. Instead, it was the tall, green haired pianist from the General Department. Azuma's mood darkened considerably from this but he forced himself to smile. "Tsuchiura-kun, what a pleasant surprise… Have you been well?" He greeted him kindly but there was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

Ryotaro didn't notice. He closed the door after himself and shrugged. "I've been alright I guess. Have you been listening to the rumours going around?"

Azuma would have to be deaf not to. "About Hino-san and Hihara?" He asked aloud.

"Yeah, I want to know what's up with that." Ryotaro asked as he took a few steps forward.

'And why don't you ask the people concerned?' Azuma thought to himself but instead gave Ryotaro a brief overview of what happened. "There's not much I can say, considering I arrived the moment it happened. Hino-san bumped into Hihara, landed on top of him and apologised afterwards."

Ryotaro watched him for a while. "…So, nothing else happened?"

Azuma bit his tongue before he snapped and said something he would regret later. Did Ryotaro think he was lying, like he had some hidden agenda in all this? How was that even possible when it was Kahoko herself that bumped into Kazuki? He had no involvement, and even if he did he certainly wouldn't allow THAT to happen. Azuma suspected Ryotaro still held a grudge from yesterday, which he could sort of understand. Sort of. But now that Kahoko and Kazuki are the talk of the school, did that automatically mean he was at fault? Funny how Ryotaro was having an issue with this but did nothing about that rumour with him and Kahoko. Did that mean it was okay for rumours to go around, so long as they didn't involve her with another guy?

Azuma could tell he was irritated, not to mention jealous. But maybe he was being too hard on him. Ryotaro deserved some credit for trying to be subtle in his approach. It's not like he was trying to make a big deal out of it... It was just a few simple, innocent questions… No, who was he kidding? Ryotaro was asking about it BECAUSE it was getting to him, and now Azuma had to either console him or put him in his place. Great, like he had the patience for either. And as much as he would like to exercise the latter, Ryotaro's suspicions of him would only increase.

"Is something bothering you, Tsuchiura-kun?" Azuma asked, playing the situation along like he had no idea why Ryotaro was asking. He watched the gen-ed student closely and noticed him shift his weight from one leg to the other while averting his gaze. Okay, that obviously confirmed Azuma's suspicions. But why was he hesitating now? Did he realise this whole thing was pointless and would consider leaving at this point? That would be nice. Although Azuma knew that would be too good to be true.

"About yesterday…" Ryotaro began, "I want to hear your reasons for leaving the café the way you did."

"I explained it to Hihara over the phone," Azuma advised, "Did he not pass that onto you?"

"He did, but I want to hear it from you directly." Ryotaro replied, showing no signs of letting this drop.

Azuma smiled sincerely, "I could repeat what I said to him… if that's what you want. But I'm assuming you want something more from me. Am I right?"

Ryotaro was silent for a long moment, wondering just what he expected from the long haired male. He couldn't explain it, but something rubbed him the wrong way and he needed answers if he were to get this off his chest. He tried his best to dismiss his suspicions about Azuma, as he presumed it was just his paranoia kicking in. There was no denying that he was annoyed after Azuma and Kahoko disappeared, but after they returned he was just relieved to see she was alright. But again, that made no sense. Why would he think Azuma would do anything to her? Of all the boys from this school, Azuma would be one of the most highly regarded. Nearly every girl worshipped him for not only his looks, but his intelligence and kindness. He was greatly respected and trusted by not only students but teachers as well. Because of his reputation, Ryotaro was willing to drop everything without question. That is, until Kahoko made him think otherwise…

* * *

FLASHBACK

Ryotaro was walking Kahoko home, after his failed attempt to spend any time with her. He had a whole day, yet the morning consisted of him playing soccer, while the afternoon was spent with the two upperclassmen – mostly Kazuki. Saying that today was a failure would be a serious understatement. He didn't even finish his shopping – not that it compared with the time he would prefer to spend with Kahoko. But if he couldn't have that, at least achieving something in all this would have been better than sitting around and getting steamed up over nothing. Well, actually they didn't sit around the entire time. They waited at the café for a while, but after many attempts to call and text Azuma, Ryotaro made the decision to try and look for them. Kazuki was against it, but Ryotaro's mood won over any debate the trumpet player may have had in mind.

He could understand why Kazuki wanted to wait, since they had no idea which department store they were in. But doing something was better than nothing at all. Or at least, that's what Ryotaro thought initially. Searching through one department store turned out to be a bigger chore than expected. With dozens of floors, and hundreds of people on each, their chances of locating the others was like finding a needle in a hay stack. Kazuki kept quiet in all this, but Ryotaro knew this was a lost cause. This irritated him all the more, but he wasn't going to give up.

They managed to search through two department stores before Azuma finally returned their call. And surprisingly enough, he called Ryotaro instead of Kazuki. The conversation was kept short since Ryotaro wanted to see Kahoko as soon as possible. They all met back at the café since it was the easiest point for both groups to reach. Azuma and Kahoko were there before himself and Kazuki, but when the two of them saw her, their reaction was that of shock. Kahoko looked as though she had just been pulled out of a fashion magazine, but the look kind of clashed with her personal appearance since she wasn't exactly the type that wore such high profile, brand named clothes – not that she didn't look good. The outfit definitely suited her, it just got to him that it was something he could never afford. Azuma had clearly spoilt her and spared no expense going all out with her look. Ryotaro was almost surprised he didn't take her somewhere to do her hair and makeup. Then again, if Azuma really did do that, they might as well have camped here for the night since choosing clothes was apparently a three hour long process – god knows how long hair styling and makeup would take.

Azuma had apologised for their late return, which he seemed very guilty about, along with Kahoko. She too apologised sincerely and kept bowing low to them like she had committed a serious crime. Kazuki was very forgiving, although he didn't think they did anything wrong in the first place. He praised Azuma for his good taste in clothes and complimented Kahoko on her outfit. His eyes never left her after that, and it took everything Ryotaro had to not to yell at him to stop. Normally such things wouldn't bother him, but with everything considered, he had no patience left and was ready to blow a fuse. That's when Azuma walked up to him and apologised again but on a more personal level. He didn't say anything outrageously dramatic or attempt to make some sort of excuse; he simply apologised for keeping him so long and hoped he would forgive him. Ryotaro was so ready to vent his anger at him, but Azuma's body language, along with his face and eyes showed that his apology was genuine and that he felt extremely sorry for what happened. That, along with Kahoko watching them left Ryotaro no choice but to accept.

When it was time to leave, Azuma offered to take Kahoko home but Ryotaro intervened and advised the upperclassman that he would. Technically it was more convenient for Kahoko to go with Azuma, but Ryotaro would be damned if he allowed them to spend any more time together. He may have forgiven the flutist for taking as long as he did to buy clothes, but he hadn't forgiven him for dragging her away and leaving them no choice in the matter. Azuma didn't argue, he merely smiled and nodded like it made no difference one way or the other. He left with Kazuki sometime later, which finally left Ryotaro and Kahoko alone.

They made small talk on their way to the train station, but their discussions ended after a few words were exchanged. Ryotaro felt a guilty about this, especially since he had hoped to make up for lost time, but Kahoko seemed content with being left to her own thoughts. Ryotaro watched her from the corner of his eye and wondered if she was troubled about something. It was hard to determine if whether or not she was upset, as one minute she would be, then a tiny smile would grace her lips, only to be replaced by a sudden frown, then she would surprise herself with something, smile, then sadden again and the process went on.

His gaze lowered to her hands then, as he recalled Mizue mentioning she had cut her fingers. Apparently they wouldn't stop bleeding so his ex went to retrieve their first-aid kit. Ryotaro was very concerned about this, especially since Kahoko vanished before Mizue could help her. He couldn't see her hands since they were covered with white leather gloves, but he observed the way she carried her shopping bags and noticed she wasn't having any difficulty. One contained her James Galway CD, while the other contained her personal belongings. Ryotaro eyed that bag with curiosity, knowing it would have everything she'd worn this morning - a jacket, shirt, jeans, boots and a scarf. Technically such objects wouldn't be all that heavy, but with that sort of weight applying to the handles of her bag, it would add strain to her already injured fingers but… it didn't seem to affect her at all. They had been walking for about thirty minutes too; and so far and she showed no signs of discomfort…

"_Oh, could you please hold my things, Tsuchiura-kun?"_ Kahoko asked out of the blue. Ryotaro blinked but pushed his thoughts aside and complied with her wishes. Perhaps he was over analysing things again – it wouldn't be the first. At least now that he had her bags, it should relieve the stress she was applying on her fingers. It was then that he watched Kahoko run towards a train they weren't going to catch. He was curious about this at first, until he noticed her approach a single mother who had an infant and a small child with her, along with several paper bags filled to the brim with groceries. The mother was having some difficulty boarding the train with her shopping, along with pushing a pram and keeping her crying child under control. Kahoko offered to hold her bags while she boarded the train with her children. Ryotaro knew he should help too, but he found himself unable to move. His eyes were focused on Kahoko's hands while she carried bags so large that they obscured her line of vision. They seemed heavy as well, judging by the way she struggled with their weight. But why wasn't this having any affect on her injuries?

"_Thank you Tsuchiura-kun!"_ Kahoko ran back to him after good deed was done. _"Sorry to leave you like that."_

It took him a moment to realise she had returned. _"Huh? Oh, no… It's okay…"_

She smiled up at him. _"May I have my things back please?"_

"_Uh, sure…"_ Ryotaro returned her bags which she accepted without difficulty, leaving him all the more confused. _"Hino… Are you alright?"_

Kahoko nodded, _"I'm fine, although I'm a little worried about leaving that woman with so many things to handle at once. Apparently she's being picked up by a relative at her train stop so that's reassuring at least."_

"_I meant your fingers."_

"_Oh, they're fine too." _She smiled, not picking up on the meaning behind his question. _"Well, let's go catch our train before we miss it."_ Kahoko turned away and walked on ahead while, Ryotaro raised an eyebrow at her response but followed shortly afterwards.

Now that they were only a few blocks away from Kahoko's home, Ryotaro wasn't sure on what note to end their day with. There were still so many unanswered questions and he had no idea if he should ask them or not. Then there was the mystery of Kahoko's fingers. He didn't know what to expect, but Kahoko was handling her injuries a lot better than he thought she would. He in no way wanted her crying or complaining about them, but so far he had seen no evidence of pain or discomfort. It was almost like… she hadn't hurt her fingers at all… and if that was the case, with everything that happened today…

Ryotaro came to a sudden halt, which forced Kahoko to stop and look back at him quizzically. "Tsuchiura-kun, is something wrong?"

It was a while before Ryotaro finally answered. He still had doubts about what he was about to ask but he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Hino, you trust me don't you?"

"Eh?" Kahoko stared at him blankly, not expecting him to ask that.

"At one time, I told you that if anything bothered you, that you could talk to me as one gen-ed student to another…"

"Yes, I remember that," Kahoko answered slowly, not certain where he was going with this.

"Does it apply in reverse? Would you talk to me, if something was bothering me?"

Kahoko smiled at that. "Of course Tsuchiura-kun, I've come to depend on you a lot and, at times, think that I don't deserve your kindness… If not for your support and encouragement through the concours, I really don't think I would have made it as far as I did… I could never repay you for that…"

Ryotaro stared at her thoughtfully. "You too helped me overcome something important. If not for you, I never would have taken music seriously again…" He took a deep breath before continuing. "But… that's not what I want to talk about… What I want to know is the truth of what happened at the café." He noticed Kahoko's eyes widen slightly at his request, but he wasn't going to back down now. "Hihara-senpai told me Yunoki-senpai's reason for leaving with you. At the time, I had no choice but to accept what had happened, but I can't deny that I felt… betrayed by you in some way. Did you not have a choice in Yunoki-senpai's decision? Why couldn't I come with you?"

"T-That is…" Kahoko glanced down at the pavement, "I-I didn't want to face you looking the way I did… I-I was such a mess… I-I couldn't-" Without her notice, Ryotaro approached her and placed both his hands over her shoulders. She flinched at the contact and looked back up at him.

"I know that, but I refuse to believe it." Ryotaro's gaze hardened. "Wouldn't your injuries have been more important than your clothes? If you were bleeding as much as you were, you should have waited for Sakimoto to help you before leaving. How could you leave in the condition you were in? What made you and Yunoki-senpai leave so suddenly?"

Kahoko stared up at him helplessly. "W-What are you trying to say…?"

Ryotaro suddenly took her wrist and held her hand up to his face. Kahoko gasped at this and tried pulling away but his grip was too strong. His gaze narrowed on her hand as he made an attempt to pull the glove off. When her fingers were exposed, he expected to see them bare and unharmed, but instead he found each of her fingers had been bandaged in different sections. He couldn't deny he was slightly thrown off by this.

"Let go Tsuchiura-kun!" Kahoko yelled as she continued with her feeble attempts to pull away.

"Not until you tell me what's going on!" Ryotaro glared, "A lot of things aren't making sense to me right now, and with everything we've been through, I'd hope for some honesty for once!"

Kahoko resented that. "What are you saying?! Are you accusing me of lying?!"

"I'm accusing Yunoki-senpai of lying! What did he do to you, why did he drag you away?!"

Kahoko glared. "Yunoki-senpai didn't do anything! He helped me, both with my fingers and getting me new clothes!"

Ryotaro was not convinced. "Oh so he helped you with your fingers huh? By what, bandaging them to make it look as though they're cut when really, they weren't?!" He felt Kahoko stiffen at those words, giving him some indication that he was on the right track. "I've been watching you since we left the shopping district Hino, and so far I've seen nothing which proves your fingers were actually hurt! These bandages are your only saving grace, but they mean nothing unless I can actually see your injuries for myself!"

"Let go of me, Tsuchiura-kun…" Kahoko demanded. Her voice had lowered but there was an edge of warning in her tone which indicated she had had enough. Ryotaro picked up on it, but he refused to give in now, not when he felt so close to the truth.

"Tell me what I want to know, and then I'll-"

"I said let go!" Kahoko almost screamed. Ryotaro was taken aback by that, especially since he had never seen her so angry. When he felt her pull away, he thought it best to comply with her wishes and gently loosened his grip. Once her arm was free, Kahoko took a few steps away before turning her back. Ryotaro half expected her to run away, since she seemed so upset with him. But instead, she remained where she was, perhaps taking this opportunity to calm down before responding. Ryotaro took a moment to regain his composure as well. When he made the decision to question her, he didn't expect it to turn into a fight.

"Hino… I…"

"You asked earlier if I trusted you, Tsuchiura-kun…" Kahoko interrupted. Her voice back to its original volume, but her tone was shaky, as though nervous or depressed. "I do, but I get this feeling you don't trust me…"

Ryotaro went wide eyed. "Hang on, that's not what I-"

"Can I have my glove back please?" Kahoko turned to look at him over her shoulder. Her eyes were glassy, like she was on the verge of tears. She stared at him pleadingly, hoping he would do as she asked without any further questions. Ryotaro felt his heart ache at the sight of her, knowing if he wasn't careful he really could make her cry. That wasn't his intention. So he complied with her wishes and handed the glove back to her.

"Thank you…" Kahoko slipped it over her hand while keeping her gaze to the ground. Ryotaro watched in silence as she turned away from him again. "I'll walk the rest of the way alone. Thank you, for walking me up to this point and… I'm sorry, about everything…" Unknown to him, that apology was meant for a lot more than just their argument. She knew it meant nothing without a proper explanation, but what was she supposed to say? There was no way she could tell him the truth, even if she wanted to. And to think she was questioning his trust in her when he had every right to doubt it...

END OF FLASHBACK

* * *

To make his case to Azuma, Ryotaro recapped most of what happened on the way back to Kahoko's home. There was more to this story which Ryotaro purposely left out, like when Kahoko was about to leave him, he had stopped her and apologised for the way he behaved. He didn't think he was wrong in wanting the truth, but he regretted nearly bringing Kahoko to tears. He cared so much about her that at times his emotions got the better of him. His earlier frustration didn't help with the situation either. He'll consider making it up to her, depending on what Azuma had to say. But he made sure not to leave her until she had calmed down and was in a better mood before entering her home.

Azuma was silent for a long moment, not that he was caught off guard by Ryotaro's accusations, but by what the pianist actually revealed when they parted. Azuma hadn't had a chance to speak to Kahoko about this, since this morning's incident made it 'just a little' difficult to do so. He wanted to make sure everything went well last night, since he couldn't deny he had doubts about Kahoko keeping this secret from Ryotaro. Should she have said anything, it wouldn't have been hard to turn things in his favour and make her life a living hell. Not that he would want to, but if she dared to take his trust for granted then she would certainly be punished for it. He didn't see that as unreasonable. He couldn't trust anyone on any level before her, so it would only be natural that he would be extremely annoyed should she have betrayed him.

Perhaps that was her only reason for keeping quiet – knowing the results of what would happen if she didn't. Or maybe on some small level she really did value his trust? Pfft, no, unlikely. She would be too dense to realise just how much he cherished her… And that wasn't to be mistaken for anything other than him valuing her as a toy. But she wasn't just any toy, she was HIS toy. And knowing he could continue playing with her made him smile inwardly. Of course, he wished she took more notice of her surroundings and did a better job of acting injured – like she was SUPPOSED to. But oh well, either way; he expected this, and now knowing how it went – courtesy of Ryotaro – he could take the rest from here.

"Hino-san did get hurt Tsuchiura-kun," Azuma verified – not so much physically, but Ryotaro didn't need to know that. "But it wasn't as severe as it may have come across."

"…And you know this how?" Ryotaro asked suspiciously.

Azuma was surprised he didn't just come out and say, 'You were in there with her!'

"I may have been in a different bathroom, but I could still hear what was going on. I was worried, so I decided to check up on her."

"After Sakimoto left?"

"Yes, that was around the time I got a hold of myself too." This was in reference of him apparently throwing up at the sight of blood. Again, Azuma wished he had a better excuse to lean on. One that didn't make him sound so weak but, oh well, it was believable.

Ryotaro narrowed his eyes. "How fortunate for you…"

Well, believable for some… "Is there something you're trying to accuse me of?"

Ryotaro folded his arms. "I'm having a hard time understanding WHY you two needed to leave so suddenly. I know Hino wouldn't have made that decision, so I'm curious about your intentions behind it."

Azuma tilted his head to the side. "The idea was to help her during her time of need. Was that so wrong of me?"

Ryotaro was steadily losing his patience. Azuma's responses were getting to him, and he wasn't sure if it was on purpose or if he expected more from all this. The upperclassman was cooperating, but something about his answers bothered him. They weren't short enough to be suspicious and they weren't detailed enough to see the whole picture. Azuma kept his poker face intact but Ryotaro's frustration was becoming very evident. "No, but what about me and Hihara-senpai?! Don't you think we would've wanted to help?!"

Azuma raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but considering the situation, Hino-san was my priority. I did call to let you know what was going on though, so please don't judge me unnecessarily."

"If your intentions were so good, why couldn't Hino explain it to me herself?!" Ryotaro nearly shouted.

"Why should she need to? You already know the story. Once we left the café, we made a little detour to get bandages. Then after buying her clothes, we called you back and met up with you and Hihara at the café before departing."

"Enough! That is not the full story!" Ryotaro growled as he began to approach him. Azuma noticed the menacing look in his features and eyed his hands which were clenched into tight fists. This meant either one of three things: he was going to stand right in front of him and throw an act of intimidation, which wouldn't be hard considering his height and build. He would grab him and threaten the truth out of him, or simply punch him. Azuma didn't think he would consider the last option but it was difficult to tell. He knew the pianist had strong feelings for Kahoko, and that his emotions got the better of him where she was concerned, but this was just insane! How could he justify hitting him when he didn't even know what he did? Perhaps he could understand his reasons if he knew the truth. But that's just the thing, even if he did know… If he knew what really happened…

Ryotaro reached out for Azuma, which gave the flutist the impression he was going with option two – shake the truth out of him. The second before Ryotaro could grab his jacket; Azuma's flute intervened and became the object shackled between the gen-ed student's vice-like grip. This caught Ryotaro off guard, and seemed to bring him to his senses somewhat. Shock took the place of anger as he stood, frozen in place, right in front of Azuma.

Azuma had to admit that this wasn't part of the plan. He expected to push a few buttons but not bring the pianist into a fit of rage. His heart rate had sped up as a result of Ryotaro's approach, mainly because he knew he could snap him like a twig if he really wanted to. Ryotaro was nearly twice his size. It wouldn't be hard to guess who would win in a one-on-one brawl. Thankfully he had some common sense to stop at the last minute, but Azuma wasn't going to show any mercy now.

"This is… certainly a surprise," Azuma said with a low, shaken up voice, pretending to sound intimidated.

Ryotaro gradually eased his hand off Azuma's flute, feeling extremely guilty and ashamed of what he was about to do. He never regretted grabbing Len when he annoyed him, since his attitude practically asked for it. But Azuma… what did he do to deserve this? While he knew there was more to the café incident than he had been told, he had nothing to justify his actions. "Yunoki-senpai… I'm, I'm sor-"

Azuma turned his head away. "The reason Hino-san and I left so suddenly, wasn't just because of her fingers or her clothes…" He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "It was the scene caused by the milkshake spillage." Ryotaro blinked at this, stunned that Azuma was actually telling him more of the story, especially after what he almost did. Azuma turned his back on him slowly, using the opportunity to think things through before continuing. "She was ashamed about what happened, the damage she caused, the scene she created and what others must have thought."

"Huh? But why? It was just an accident." Ryotaro exclaimed in disbelief.

Azuma glanced at him from over his shoulder. "So was the incident during the third selection…"

Ryotaro stiffened at that, remembering how devastated Kahoko was after snapping her violin strings. The events that followed from there were unbearable. The way she kicked herself over what happened, losing faith in her ability, feeling as though she had no right to play anymore. He had no idea what had shaken her up so much, but he couldn't believe something he assumed to be so minor would affect her so strongly. And for Azuma to bring it up and compare it to what happened at the café… No wonder she got so upset with him when he questioned her last night. She was trying to deal with it herself. But instead of letting her do so, he kept pushing for an explanation…

Azuma watched as Ryotaro's gaze drifted to the ground, realisation dawned on him over Kahoko's attitude last night. Finally, a story he could believe. To Azuma's credit it wasn't a complete lie. Kahoko WAS embarrassed about what happened. So much so that she fled to the women's bathroom to escape it all. But Azuma wasn't done yet… "Does this satisfy you? Or was there something else you would like to ask?" Azuma turned to face him again.

Ryotaro looked up in a daze. "Huh? Oh… No… no that's fine…"

"You are very kind, Tsuchiura-kun." Azuma said which caught Ryotaro off guard as it was totally unexpected. "Your unwavering devotion for Hino-san is something to be admired. You care for her and protect her like no other…" He watched Ryotaro carefully. "But it must be difficult at times, being so committed yet your actions don't get acknowledged the way you'd like…"

Ryotaro's eyes widened slightly, feeling both offended and confused. "I don't lend a hand, expecting something in return!"

Azuma smiled knowingly. "Oh but you do… If you didn't, you wouldn't be up here asking about the rumours… and you wouldn't be accusing me of going behind your back." He said this as gently as he could, but the look in Ryotaro's eyes proved he got to him – big time. It wasn't just Azuma making a point of Ryotaro's feelings, but his prying into Kahoko's business and assuming he had rights to all this information when really, he didn't. Ryotaro knew this, which was why he said nothing to defend himself. Sure he could say he was just looking out for Kahoko. But that would make a point that he was betraying her trust – as he already was by approaching him about this. Azuma was also making a point that Ryotaro needed to learn his place. He wasn't Kahoko's boyfriend. He didn't get any special privileges above him or anyone else. Azuma would have laughed if he didn't feel a little sorry for him – not about him making a fool of himself but understanding the urge to want something so desperately… It was annoying to know Ryotaro could pursue whatever he wanted. Unlike him, he wouldn't be able to keep it up…

"Well, lunch will be ending soon." Azuma advised while he packed his flute away. "I might head back to class. You should do the same, Tsuchiura-kun."

"Yunoki-senpai…" Ryotaro murmured. "Sorry… about all this."

"It's alright, no harm done." Azuma smiled with reassurance, knowing no harm was inflicted on him specifically. He couldn't say the same for Ryotaro however. "I'll see you later." He walked past the green haired male and glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Ryotaro looked troubled, but he dismissed it and walked to the door without another word. He assumed Ryotaro was going over what they had discussed, which wasn't anything unusual. There were a lot of things Azuma brought to his attention, along with observations which Ryotaro may not have realised himself.

Just as Azuma opened the door however, Ryotaro called out to him. "Wait, Yunoki-senpai… I need to know something." There was a pause. "Why did Hino tell you?"

Azuma kept his back to him. "She didn't tell me specifically... All I was concerned about was helping her." Oh such lies...

"…Then... What is she to you?"

Okay… That was unexpected. Thankfully Ryotaro couldn't see his reaction, as his eyes widened while his grip on the door handle tightened. He pondered over what response to give. Would Ryotaro settle for 'favourite form of entertainment'? Oh the look on his face would be priceless. But if he were to be serious, he would say Kahoko was a friend and leave it at that. But then Ryotaro would see this as one less rival to think about. He was obviously asking because he planned to do something about his feelings. Azuma's eyebrow twitched at the thought, but he closed his eyes and tried thinking about a response which could be interpreted in several ways. "Hino-san… is dear to me. I treasure her company and enjoy spending time with her."

"So you like her as a friend?"

"I like her, for who she is…" Azuma closed the door after him and left it at that.

* * *

**Author's Note:** . . . So, what do I say after not updating for nearly 2 months? Um, sorry? ^^;; Believe me, I have been working hard on this chapter. It doesn't really show I know, but I swear I have been! One reason it took so long was because of all the Ryotaro moments… I was half tempted to skip it all and get into the Azuma x Kahoko stuff but… I couldn't . His role in the story is quite important. Plus he wouldn't just drop everything that happened after his 'date' was interrupted. I tried to keep everything in character; hopefully no Ryotaro fans will think he was OOC. But Ryotaro does seriously get over emotional where Kahoko is concerned. He's a nice guy like that, but he has demonstrated how aggressive and stubborn he can be with the way he fought with Len on summer camp, and when he demanded answers from Kahoko after the third selection.

I hope I played Azuma's part okay as well, especially after Ryotaro approached him. It was extremely hard to try and put Ryotaro in his place but do it subtly enough to not reveal his Black personality. I admire how crafty he can be, so I hope I did a decent job of it.

Kazuki will start having a bigger role soon, which I'm looking forward to since he's a fun character :) I know there wasn't much mentioned about Kahoko's feelings for Azuma, but that will be coming up in the next chapter. This chapter was to simply fill all the loose ends with the shopping saga. Now ne can finally move on and get to the next modelling session – which will be extremely fun XD Nami was trying to mention that earlier but sadly got interrupted by Kazuki lol.

This story is still going so please don't lose faith in me yet. I apologise for the delay, and will do my best to update as quickly as possible. Thank you again and hope to see you in the next chapter :D

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

**Picture Perfect**

By Neon_Fantasy

Disclaimer: La Corda d'Oro rightfully belongs to Koei and Yuki Kure. This story is merely for entertainment purposes. The characters featured in this story don't belong to me, except for Hanako Kirishima. This is an Azuma x Kahoko story, featuring some Len x Kahoko and Keiichi x Kahoko – at last! And now that the four boys have finally had their moments, Azuma can step in and claim Kahoko for himself! YAY! …Well… as soon as he stops being so stubborn that is… and Kahoko for that matter… *pause* Damn it…

* * *

Chapter 14

Kahoko was currently at the Music Department. It was lunch time and she decided to spend most of her time in one of the practice rooms. It wasn't her original plan, but it was quiet and secluded here, unlike out there where students had nothing else better to do but gossip about things which weren't even true. All she wanted the day to pass by quickly without incident, and yet every worst possible thing that could happen did and there was no way to escape it.

The morning dragged by at an impossibly slow pace. While it was only a couple of hours, it felt like days to her. She kept nodding off every five minutes due to lack of sleep but managed to get by without her teacher noticing. It was a relief she didn't get asked any questions too, for she had no idea what the lessons were about. Getting notes from Mio and Nao might be an idea. When it was lunch time, Kahoko was eating with her two friends in the classroom, which was fine at first, until the 'twenty questions' game began. At first it was just a couple of girls from class - who she rarely even spoke to - that wanted to ask about this morning with Kazuki. It was to be expected, as she was well aware of the crowd that gathered. She explained the situation and shrugged it off since it was honestly nothing. But when she heard about the rumours going around, that's when everything came crashing down around her. It was bad enough when the girls in her class seemed unconvinced with her story, but when other gen-ed girls from other classes came, wanting to know the same thing, Kahoko felt she was going to lose her mind.

Mio and Nao tried being supportive, but like everyone else, their curiosity got the better of them and even they wanted to know the 'real story' behind the incident this morning. Seriously, how many times did she have to say it?! It was an accident! She got clumsy and stupidly tripped over. Kazuki just happened to be there and managed to get in the way. They fell together, and that was it! There were no hidden motives or intentions behind it… besides retrieving that photo she dropped. But there was no way she was going to mention that!

It got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and had to leave, otherwise she was going to scream and tear her hair out. That's why she was here – to be on her own. But overall, as much as she didn't like the attention she was getting, she was glad she went through the effort to get that photo. With her bad luck, of course it turned out to be one of Azuma's pictures. There wasn't going to be an easy way to explain it if Kazuki saw it. But then… she wondered if that would have been easier to face than these stupid rumours going around.

Kahoko let out a long frustrated sigh and stared at the photo envelope she had in her hands. She was currently sitting at the piano with its cover still resting over the keys. She was using it like a desk so she can look at the photos… Or at least, that was the plan. She had been debating with herself if whether or not she should look at them, while at the same time fighting the urge to rest her head on the piano and close her eyes. Every now and then she would feel herself drifting but managed to fight it off – for now.

In the end, Kahoko convinced herself to get the photos out since her day had already gone downhill. Looking at a few photos would be the least of her problems. She took them out the envelope and took a deep breath before focusing on each picture. Azuma's photos were first, and since they were modelling corporate wear; Azuma was wearing a series of different suits. They weren't as fancy as the formal attire he wore previously – just your standard business suits - but he had no trouble standing out in them. No surprise there. Kahoko wondered if it was even possible for him to look bad, as looking good seemed to come naturally to him. Was it one of those things where if he wanted to look bad, he'd have to put in the extra effort? Kind of like someone trying to look their best when it was close to impossible? Kahoko frowned at the thought, knowing she could spend hours on her look and never get anywhere. It was so unfair…

While browsing through his photos, Kahoko noticed his look was a little different from the first shoot. Since he was modelling formal attire at the time, he seemed to portray himself like a personal escort or a Princely figure – someone appealing to the eye who wanted to stand out and make an impression. He certainly achieved that without too much effort on his part. This time however, it looked like he was taking a step back from the spotlight – even though that was impossible for someone like him.

During the shoot, there were a few shots where Kahoko and Azuma got instructed to pose with props in hand. It was something Hanako gave them to add a bit of character to their pictures. One of the items Azuma got given was a folder. In the shots where he was posing with that particular object, he would look very absorbed and focused on it. One example was where he had the folder open and was casually browsing through the plastic sleeves. Shots of this were taken from different angles with him looking down or off to the side but never directly at the camera. The same thing applied with another object he used - a cell. He would have his phone to his ear and look to be talking without even noticing he was being photographed.

It was strange, but his shots gave the impression that they were taken by a stalker or something. The only thing that indicated they weren't was that he continued to smile in all his shots. They weren't the kind of smiles that begged for attention, but rather looked as though he was in a good mood. They were subtle but still made him look very divine. Kahoko wondered if this was the way his fan girls saw him at school. When they would sneak glances at him or watch from a distance – would this be the way he'd look? She tried picturing it but all it did was irritate her… And it irritated her 'a lot'.

When Kahoko got her personal photos, she quickly turned her head away before she got a good look at them. She was half tempted to rip them to shreds but in the end resisted such urges. She would remember Nami and the effort she would have taken to make these photos work. Kahoko was anything but cooperative during the shoot so it wasn't difficult to imagine the trouble she would have caused. Kahoko was beginning to feel a little guilty about that now. The least she could do was look at the end result. Nami had given praise to these photos this morning so that must mean something... hopefully.

Kahoko shook her head but quickly went through her photos before she changed her mind. And strangely enough, they weren't as bad as she thought, but how could that be? From what she could remember, she did put some effort into the first couple of shots. But from that point on, her thoughts began to wander and it left her unable to focus. That was before Azuma intervened of course. Kahoko tried looking for them. She had to see the shots where she was totally out of it and close to breaking down. She went through the entire stack but didn't see any of them. She did this again and again, just in case she kept skipping over them, but they were nowhere in sight. Kahoko wasn't losing her mind was she? She may have been in her own little world but she was convinced she had more than this.

Was that why there were only a few photos of her? Because the others may have been... removed? Come to think of it, Kahoko had a feeling some of her photos were missing from the first shoot too. She didn't say anything at the time, since it was the first one, but now... Well, not much she could do about it now. She would have to ask Nami about it later. Right now though, she still had more photos to go through…

Kahoko's heart began to race at the thought. She swallowed nervously and held the photos with shaky hands. Her shots with Azuma… She went through them carefully and tried not to get too emotional about them. It was just a photo shoot after all. They were models. Everything that happened was just for show. There was nothing more than that. But even as she tried convincing herself of this, these photos were telling her otherwise. The first set had Azuma comforting her, and looking at them from Nami's perspective made her heart nearly jump to her throat. She didn't know what to make of herself. It was a bit weird seeing yourself in tears. She would have said it was pathetic, if not for Azuma stepping in and making it look as though it was on purpose. She was still annoyed that he took advantage of her though. She was in tears because of him. And instead of doing something about it, he used it as a means to do evil things to her instead! She forgot her problems sure, but that's only because she lost the ability to think!

Kahoko was currently looking over the shots where Azuma was standing behind her while she leaned against him like he was her… boyfriend… or something… Her face reddened as she remembered all the things he did to her. Those kisses, his touch, and those instructions he whispered so alluringly in her ear – not to mention that warning about not kissing him… And what does she do? She stared at the result which was her kissing Azuma on the cheek. God, how stupid was she?! What the hell was wrong with her?! She looked so into it too which made it all the more impossible to bear. No wonder Nami said she was nearly blushing when she looked at these. Kahoko face was so warm that she felt she was going to go up in flames. And that wasn't the worst part. It was difficult to admit but there was a little, tiny part of her that didn't regret it. From this, to what happened in the bathroom at the café, to her dreams… They were all indications of how much she wanted him. And she wanted him badly… didn't she…?

When that thought crossed her mind, Kahoko's eyes widened while her body locked into place. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was beating so hard against her chest that it felt like it would break through her rib cage. Her hands began to shake so fiercely that her photos slipped through her fingers. Some of them landed on the piano while others scattered across the ground. No… That couldn't be it… She refused to believe it. There was a logical explanation for all this. It had to be the modelling sessions. Anyone would feel drawn to Azuma if they saw the way he worked. He was a very beautiful man, so naturally you'd feel 'a slight' attraction if you saw how… incredibly hot he looked in his photos… It was like having a crush on a celebrity… Wait… a crush? No! It wasn't a crush either! It was just… envy and admiration on her part.

…Yeah, she was a bad liar, even to herself. But it was enough to bring her back to her senses and pick up the photos she dropped. She picked up what had landed on the piano before kneeling down and retrieving the rest from the ground. When she got back to her feet, Kahoko's vision suddenly went blurry. Everything began to spin and distort around her. She had to close her eyes and lean against the piano for support. She stayed like that for a few short minutes and reopened her eyes when she thought it was safe. Wow, her drowsiness was really taking its toll on her. She was beginning to wonder if she really could get through the rest of the day. The idea of leaving early was tempting, but she didn't think it was worth it, especially when she had only a few hours to go. She will get through the afternoon like she did this morning and go to bed first thing when she got home. That was the plan, and she was going to try and stick to it.

After putting her photos away, Kahoko decided to get her violin out, as she brought it with her after leaving the classroom. She positioned the violin over her shoulder and held the bow over the strings. She was ready to play, and yet, she had no idea WHAT to play. Well, she was certainly off to a good start. Kahoko sighed and tried thinking of something that would cheer her up. Something which would relax her, sooth her and put her mind back at ease. She thought about it, and her mind began to wander to a particular night a few months ago, where a 'certain long haired male' played a 'particular song' for her which… made Kahoko want to slap herself for even thinking about it! Was it too much to ask for just five minutes of peace?! Kahoko groaned with irritation. How could she play that song anyway? She didn't have the score sheets for it – not that she wished she did. And she was fairly certain it could only be played on a flute – not that she was going to try and find out.

Kahoko felt the urge to scream. She took a series of deep breaths and after a moment decided to play 'Ave Maria'. This song was special to her and she always enjoyed hearing it. She hoped it would be enough to clear her mind give her a few short minutes of comfort. That's all she wanted… But apparently even that was asking too much. She kept making a lot of mistakes, even when she knew she could play better. She practiced this song for hours every single day before the final selection. And yet, her performance right now made it seem as though she was a complete amateur. Well… that wasn't far from the truth. But she would like to think she was a tiny bit better than that now.

She tried again, but this time she was getting a lot of screeching sounds. 'Ugh, come on Kahoko!' She mentally yelled at herself. 'You know this song! Play it properly!'

"Hey."

Kahoko felt someone pull her bow hand away from the violin. This caught her by surprise as she didn't hear anyone enter the room. She glanced over her shoulder to see who it was and tried not to look too surprised.

"T-Tsukimori-kun… H-Hello…" Kahoko hoped he hadn't been listening just now, although judging by the look on his face; she would have to assume he did.

"What are you doing?" Len asked. "You shouldn't be playing."

Kahoko stared at him blankly. Was she playing that badly that he could hear it from another room? "U-Um, I admit that was a little rough... I'm sorry if it disturbed you. I'll do better this time."

Len sighed. "That's not what I meant." He brought her hand a little closer to his face and used the other to inspect her injuries. His fingers traced delicately over her bandages while he kept a firm grip on her wrist. "What happened?"

Kahoko blinked, and blinked again. Did she hear him right? Was he worried about her? That seemed so... out of character for him. Not that she hadn't seen his acts of kindness before, but it seemed strange seeing him open about it… somewhat… Then again, he didn't exactly SAY he was concerned. He could be asking for the sake of so he could lecture her about it later. Or then again… Ugh, trying to figure him out in her current mental state wasn't a good idea. Lack of sleep had something to do with it, but to her credit it wasn't just her malfunctioning brain which was causing her grief. It was his actions which were adding to the difficulty of thought.

The hand that Len had wrapped around her wrist was cool against her skin; it made her body tense up in response. And the way his fingers brushed and slid delicately along hers caused electrical currents shoot up her arm. Kahoko knew he wasn't causing these strange yet somewhat pleasurable sensations on purpose but it was still distracting, regardless of the intention behind it. Kahoko quickly pulled her hand free and murmured, "I-It was a minor accident, nothing more..." While his touch made her feel a little uncomfortable, she didn't want him finding out the bandages were for show. It was difficult enough lying to Ryotaro about them that she didn't need more names added to the list.

Len's eyes narrowed. "Regardless of how severe, you're still hurt and you are in no condition to play." He said this as gently as he could, but there was still a hint of irritation in his tone.

"I'll keep that in mind..." Kahoko replied but chose to ignore him. She positioned the violin over her shoulder and readied herself to play again. She raised her bow and couldn't help but notice the dirty look he was giving her. Okay... Why was Len still here? What did it matter to him if she played or not? He warned her, so if she somehow brought more damage upon herself, what did it matter to him? Kahoko turned her back and lowered the bow towards the strings. She felt very self conscious, knowing Len was right behind her, but figured he would see himself out when he's ready.

Before she could play however, Kahoko jumped when she felt Len's hands grip the tops of her arms. "T-Tsukimori-kun?! What are you doing?! Let me go!" Kahoko demanded but Len completely ignored her. He led her towards the piano and forced her to sit down. Only he didn't position her in front of the large instrument, he had her sitting beside it. And if that wasn't enough to confuse her, Len took her completely off guard when he pulled her violin and bow out of her hands. Kahoko gapped at this and watched as he carefully returned them to her case. Okay, she was annoyed now. It was one thing to tell her to stop, but Len was completely out of line if he thought he could force her. Kahoko was about to give him a piece of her mind… Only she lost her train of thought when she noticed him open his own violin case. What was he doing now? Was he claiming her practice room as his own? What about the others? She was fairly certain there were other rooms available.

"What were you going to play?" Len asked. He was currently fiddling with the screw on his bow while using the left side of his jaw to keep his violin over his shoulder. It looked awkward but Len managed this without any difficulty – probably because he did it a lot.

Kahoko still had yet to answer, but she was at a loss for words. He must have been serious about her stopping, if he was willing to go to such extremes. But offering to play for her was simply unbelievable. It was so thoughtful of him, especially since he would never do anything like this… There had to be a catch. He wouldn't just do this out of the kindness of his heart would he?

"…Hino-san?" Len had been ready to perform for a while now, only he couldn't exactly play when he didn't know what her request was.

"U-Um..." Kahoko quickly replied with the first song that came to mind. "Serenade."

Wait… what? Is that song STILL stuck in her head?!

"Which one?" Len asked, not finding her request unreasonable. "There are several pieces called 'Serenade'."

Kahoko bit her lip hesitantly. She contemplated if whether or not she should change her mind, but nothing was calling out to her more than this piece. She kept thinking about it so she might as well get it out of her system. And besides, there was no harm in her request. Azuma wasn't here and Len was none the wiser. Asking him to play it wouldn't make any difference one way or another. What was the worst he could say anyway – no? But putting that aside for the moment, if Len could play this song… that would mean she would be able to as well… Why that sparked her interest, she had no idea but decided to roll with it. "Notturno d'Amore 'Serenade'..."

Len gave a little nod. "Drigo's piece..."

Kahoko nodded in confirmation, although what she really wanted was to jump up and down with joy. He knew the song! He knew the song!!! It was very difficult to contain her excitement – for some reason, but she managed to keep herself under control. She knew if she got carried away, Len might think twice about performing for her and she didn't want that. So baring that in mind, Kahoko sat still and patiently waited for him to perform.

Len closed his eyes and began to mentally prepare himself for his performance. This was no different from all the other times he had practiced, although he couldn't deny having Kahoko listen to him was… a little distracting. Performing in front of individuals or large audiences never got to him. It was something he grew accustomed to. But with Kahoko it was… different. Why was that? Come to think of it, why was he even doing this? What she did to herself was none of his business. She hurt her fingers yes, but it wasn't like his incident all those years ago where he nearly lost the ability to use his. Perhaps it was her desire to play, no matter the situation, that he felt compelled to help her in some way. He understood those feelings… Or maybe, it was something more… But he quickly dismissed those thoughts before he lost his focus.

When he began to play, Kahoko closed her eyes and listened in silent awe of Len's beautiful performance. Every time she heard him play she was always amazed by his abilities, his skills and his technique. Today was no different. The melody resonated throughout the room and touched her to a… certain extent, but not like Ave Maria did that time when she first heard it. It was strange. While his performance would be considered perfect, it had a different effect on her compared to Azuma's. But how could that be? Was it because she saw this as Azuma's song? Skill and technique seemed to have nothing to do with it. Both of them were talented in their own way. But how could both performances have such a different impact?

Kahoko opened her eyes as soon as the song came to an end. It may not have been what she expected, but if she didn't compare it to Azuma's version, the song was still beautiful and pleasant to listen to. She smiled and clapped her hands to show her gratitude. "That was wonderful Tsukimori-kun! Thank you!"

Len nodded.

"I was surprised that you could play this song." Kahoko blurted without thinking.

Len raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think I could?"

"Oh! No not like that! I mean"–she mentally kicked herself for not keeping quiet–"well… I heard it on a different instrument before, and figured this piece could only be played for that instrument alone... somewhat…" Kahoko rubbed the back of her head and laughed nervously. She noticed Len looked puzzled by her explanation and wondered if it had something to do with her being vague on details. She hoped not, because there was no way she was going to admit she heard this on the flute originally.

"What are you talking about? This piece is Drigo's most famous composition. It's been arranged so practically every instrument can play it." Len advised with a sigh.

"O-Oh…" Now Kahoko could see why he was looking at her so strangely. He was probably thinking what an idiot she was for not knowing something so basic.

Noticing the clueless look in her expression, Len decided to explain with a little more detail. "Notturno d'Amore 'Serenade' was composed for the 'Harlequinade' production. Drigo originally arranged that piece to be played on the mandolin. Due to its major success it went on to be arranged for other instruments and was later given lyrics."

"Is that right?" Kahoko didn't know that. "And um, what's 'Harlequinade'?"

"One of the ballet productions Drigo both conducted and composed music for." Len answered. "Its proper title is 'Les Millions d'Arlequin', or 'The Millions of Harlequin'. 'Harlequinade' is another name for it, a shorter version I suppose."

"Wow, you know a lot, Tsukimori-kun." Kahoko was once again in awe of him.

"It's common knowledge. All music students would know at least that much about Riccardo Drigo. I'd suggest you do some research next time."

"Haha, fair enough." It wasn't a bad idea. Playing music was one thing, but it was always good to learn about the composer as well.

After a few moments of silence, Kahoko felt this sudden compulsion to ask Len for a favour. Normally she wouldn't bother, but since he was being so generous, she might as well take advantage of it while she could. "Um, Tsukimori-kun…" Not that it made the asking process any easier. "You… wouldn't happen to have the score sheets for this song, do you?" Again she had no idea why she was doing this, but it felt right so she didn't try stopping herself.

"I do..." Len replied slowly, having a feeling he knew where this was leading. And sure enough, Kahoko intertwined her fingers and stared up at him pleadingly. With a look like that, it was pretty obvious what she wanted.

"…You can borrow it." Len sighed, not minding either way as it wasn't a song he generally played. "So, is there another piece you would like to hear?"

* * *

From there, Kahoko allowed Len to play whatever he liked. She heard what she wanted to hear so she wasn't going to inconvenience him with anymore requests – not that she could think of any. She listened to a few of his performances, although they began to sound the same after a while. Not that she was getting bored; she was just so tired that her brain felt disconnected from her body. The minutes rolled by and Kahoko's eyelids were becoming very heavy. She tried shaking her head and rubbing her eyes to prevent herself from dosing off, but all it did was increase the urge to sleep.

Kahoko did her best to stay awake for all of his performances, but the last song she heard him play was Ave Maria. She remembered closing her eyes to better listen to the song – as it was one of her favourites. But about half way through, the sweet melody became a lullaby to her ears. It comforted and soothed her so much that she couldn't fight the urge to sleep anymore. After everything that had happened today, this was probably the only thing that made coming worthwhile. Any opportunity to listen to Len play was a treat, and since he went out of his way to play for her, she will do something to repay him later.

Len was unaware of Kahoko's condition. He assumed her quietness was due to her listening intently and not wanting to distract him. He didn't think anything of it at the time, but when no response came after Schubert's piece, he finally looked at her to see what was wrong. When he did, he immediately went wide eyed. Kahoko had her head bowed so he couldn't see her face clearly, but she was leaning so far off the side of the chair that within seconds, she was going to fall off. Len quickly put his violin down and reached out to Kahoko, just as the chair flipped onto its side beneath her. He caught her, with one arm hooked around her back while her head rested against his shoulder. He held her close to better support her body and gently eased her onto the floor where he sat her in a side-on position.

Len looked her over to first check if she was alright, then to find out the reason behind her strange behaviour. When he noticed she was only asleep, Len let out a little sigh - both in relief and frustration. He was glad nothing was wrong, but he wondered why she came to school if she wasn't in the best condition for it.

"Hino-san?" Len gave her a little shake but nothing happened. He tried again and again but she was completely out of it. It was like she had been knocked out cold with sleeping pills or something. Great… The only reason he came in here was to help her with her violin playing. He was passing by earlier and happened to notice her through the window on the door. Normally he would walked away at that point, but it was her bandaged fingers, along with her awful playing which stopped him, and even compelled him to help her.

But how much was he willing to help?

It was one thing to play for her, but it wasn't his responsibility to take care of her too. Lunch was going to end soon. He needed to get his things and head back to class. If Kahoko was going to sleep during school hours then fine, it had nothing to do with him. He'll just leave her here and she can get up whenever she's ready. She wasn't sick after all. There was no need to feel guilty. But even so… why was he hesitating…?

Meanwhile, Nami was in the process of hunting down Kahoko. She went to Kahoko's classroom earlier and got told by her two friends that she was at the Music Department. Assuming Kahoko was in the practice rooms, Nami made her way there and figured if she wasn't here, she must be on the roof top. Nami was just about to glance into the first room until she spotted Len walking out of another, which was further down the corridor. He had his back to her, which was strange in itself as he was exiting the room backwards - and with some difficulty. Nami was puzzled by this. She was about to walk over and see what he was doing; until she noticed he was carrying someone in his arms. She couldn't see who it was but judging by the long exposed legs dangling over his arm, and long blue socks, it wasn't hard to guess.

Not wanting to disturb the moment, Nami quickly entered the practice room she was next to - which thankfully was empty - and peeked through the long window to watch this little spectacle. Len exited the room and juggled with his heavy burden to close the door after him. He had a bit of trouble but managed it eventually. He then turned away from the door –frowning all the while– and readjusted his hold on the person in his arms. That's when Nami confirmed it was Kahoko. He was carrying her bridal style, with her head resting against his shoulder while her hands were clenched into little fists by his chest. Her eyes were closed, which gave the impression she was either asleep or something had happened. Did Len do something to her? Nami scoffed at the thought, but it didn't prevent her from thinking about the possibilities. Imagining the two of them, on their own, together, in a practice room, with no one around, and the end result was Kahoko unconscious while Len was carrying her away somewhere...

Nami smiled and shook her head, knowing such things were VERY unlikely. But she'd love to see the look on Azuma's face if he witnessed all this. Oh! With that thought in mind, Nami quickly raised her camera to the window and got ready to take a few shots. To her annoyance, Len had already passed by – meaning one golden opportunity for photos was missed. Nami quietly opened the door and peeked around the corner to see where he was. Thankfully he wasn't too far ahead so she decided to sneak after him. All of this was for Kahoko's benefit. To make sure he didn't do anything while she was unaware. It wasn't to add to Nami's Violin Romance story. Certainly not. And it had nothing to do with making Azuma jealous. Most definitely not. Nami was being as friend, and like 'most' friends, they look out for each other.

Nami continued to follow Len and watched as he approached the nurse's office. She frowned at this, hoping there really wasn't anything wrong with her. She hid behind a corner and watched as Len struggled to open the door. He managed without dropping Kahoko thankfully and entered without a moment's delay. Nami waited till he was inside before tiptoeing towards the door. She kept close to the wall and stopped when she was standing right next to the open doorway. She listened in for any conversations while adjusting the lens on her camera. She heard a couple of voices, possibly Len speaking to the School Nurse, and heard him mention Kahoko had fainted. Nami was curious about this, but she was relieved to know it wasn't anything serious.

Before she knew it, the School Nurse suddenly walked out of the room. Nami stiffened but remained completely still. She waited for the nurse to notice her, but thankfully enough, the elderly woman turned and walked in the opposite direction from where she was standing. Nami let out a little sigh. After taking a moment to steady her heart beat, she peeked inside the room and noticed Len placing Kahoko on one of the free beds. Nami smiled, thinking how nice it was for Len to do this - even if he was reluctant in doing so. She raised her camera and peered through the lens to get a good shot of this moment.

Len sat Kahoko on the bed and pulled one of his arms out from under her knees. He then guided the rest of her body back and gently slid her head off his shoulder so it rested against the pillow. Everything was fine. She looked fine. She was in bed, so now he could go. Only problem was that he didn't take notice of her hands. He was about to back away but wasn't aware Kahoko was clutching his jacket. The attempt to pull away made her inadvertently pull him back – kind of like how a child would react if a toy were being jerked out of their hands – which caused Len to lean over her suddenly. He froze when he noticed their faces were only an inch or two apart and felt his heart leap as a result.

Nami zoomed in on this and took multiple shots. She took notice of the way his eyes widened while a faint pink colour crept into his cheeks. Within seconds he abruptly backed away, not caring if he woke Kahoko or not and stormed towards the door. Nami took that as her queue to run back to her trusty corner and squatted low to the ground. She watched as Len marched by with his head bowed while a hand covered half of his face. It was a shame she couldn't see his expression, but it wasn't hard to guess either. Ah, the wonders of Violin Romance...

* * *

When the final bell of the day sounded, Nami made her way back to the Music Department. She came to a stop at classroom 3-B and leaned against the wall. She patiently waited while students filed out the room one by one. Azuma and Kazuki were the last ones to leave.

When Azuma saw Nami waiting presumably for him, a surge of displeasure whipped through his system. He felt his eyes narrow as a result but quickly followed through the motion so they closed completely. He forced a sweet smile in her direction. "Good afternoon, Amou-san."

Nami felt a cold chill run down her spine. It reminded her of that feeling she got after taking photos this morning. She returned the smile, only hers showed more strain in doing so. "Good afternoon, Yunoki-senpai."

"Ah, Amou-chan!" Kazuki smiled brightly when he noticed her. "How's it going?"

"Hey Hihara-senpai, I'm fine thanks." Nami's smile shifted to a more genuine one. "Heading home?"

Kazuki shook his head and raised his trumpet case. "I've got Oke Club now."

"Ah cool, say hello to Fuyuumi-chan for me okay?"

"Sure, no problem!" Kazuki gave her a thumbs up.

Azuma turned to Kazuki with a puzzled expression. "You're seeing Fuyuumi-san at practice?"

Kazuki nodded. "Didn't you know? Fuyuumi-chan joined the club during summer break."

"…Is that right?" Azuma had no idea. Then again, the last time he visited the Orchestra Club was when he did that favour for Kahoko, which was some time ago now. He never expected Shouko to join though. Not that it was a bad thing. He could see it being a good experience for her since it should further develop her confidence. If not, hanging around Kazuki certainly would.

"How is she progressing? I haven't been down there lately. Been busy with… certain things." Nami smiled and eyed Azuma innocently. Azuma pretended not to notice, although it was obvious she was referring to the modelling sessions. Thankfully Kazuki knew nothing about them.

"Yeah she's getting there. She was very shy at first. Still is a bit, but she's more comfortable with everything now… Oh!" It was then that Kazuki spotted the young clarinet player down the corridor. "HEY! Fuyuumi-chan! OI!" His sudden outburst made Azuma and Nami jump with surprise. He even startled Shouko and she was all the way down the other end of the building.

"Hey! Fuyuumi-chan! Are you heading to practice?! If so, let me walk with you!" Kazuki called out with his cheerfully loud voice bouncing off the walls. He was directing a lot of attention on her, which made Shouko want to hide and disappear. She blushed and bowed her head low in embarrassment but stayed where she was, even though she looked half tempted to run.

When it looked as though she would wait, Kazuki glanced over his shoulder at Azuma and Nami. "I'll see you guys later okay?" He flashed a bright smile and waved before jogging to catch up with her.

Nami waved back and couldn't help but laugh when he was out of hearing range. "Poor Fuyuumi-chan… That would have been so difficult for her."

Azuma didn't comment, for he had other things occupying his mind – mainly her surprise visit. "So, Amou-san, what brings you to the Music Department?" Like it wasn't obvious…

Nami turned to look at him. "To see you of course, Yunoki-senpai." She gave him a sweet smile. "I've got business with you."

"…Really now?" Perfect, just what he needed to round the day off. And here he thought it couldn't get any worse with what happened this morning, not to mention lunch. Ugh, just thinking about it was irritating him all over again.

"First thing," Nami said as she pulled out an envelope from her bag. "I wanted to give you these." She handed Azuma an envelope which contained his copies of the second photo shoot. "Of course, look at them in your own time. No pressure." She remembered being shot down the last time she asked him to look at them, so she wasn't going to bother trying again. Not that she was giving up or anything. She was just going to try other methods to get what she wanted…

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Azuma recalled what happened last time as well. How could he forget her deliberate attempts to make him reveal some big secret that he had special feelings for Kahoko, when in fact he didn't? It was one thing to make him look at her photos, but the way she suddenly brought up Ryotaro and his little meeting with Kahoko made his blood boil. Still does in fact. But he couldn't hate her for it. Who knows how things would have went if she didn't tell him about it? He doubted Kahoko would have told him so in ways; she should have his gratitude... Pfft, like that would ever happen.

"Now we have to get Hino-san. This is about the, you know…" Nami tapped her camera.

Azuma opened his bag and placed the envelope inside. "Forgive me for asking but, wouldn't it have been quicker to get Hino-san before me, as she would have been closer to your classroom?"

Nami suppressed a grin. "It was easier for me to get you first, that way, we can see Hino-san together."

Azuma slowly closed his bag as he let those words sink in. Why was he getting a bad feeling about this? Regardless of his curiosity, he nodded in understanding. "Very well… We better not keep her waiting then."

Nami lead the way while Azuma walked beside her. Some students still had yet to leave campus, Nami noticed, and since she was so observant of others, she couldn't help but notice the way they stared as she walked by with Azuma. It was quite amusing to watch, knowing it wasn't what they were thinking. "Too bad your bodyguards aren't around, Yunoki-senpai. Students might get the wrong idea about us." Nami winked. "If this keeps up, we might end up in the school newspaper."

Azuma knew she was joking, but it took everything he had not to look repulsed by the idea. "It… wouldn't be the truth though." He replied slowly, doing his best to sound light hearted about it.

Nami laughed. "Then I guess it should be about you and Hino-san right?"

That didn't take long.

Azuma forced himself to smile, hoping it didn't look strained. "Again, there wouldn't be any truth in that."

"Hmm…" Nami pondered, or at least pretended to. "And from whose side, exactly?"

Oh she was very good at pressing his buttons. It was one reason why he never liked being around her. Azuma gradually slowed his pace and subtly glanced around the corridor. It was empty. That was good. He then came to a complete stop and turned to face Nami. While he did this, he folded an arm behind his back and flashed a serene, gentle smile in her direction. "We are friends, Amou-san, so of course we care for one another to a certain degree. But please don't misinterpret those feelings. I wouldn't want complications arising because of a simple misunderstanding." The hand behind his back suddenly clenched into a rock hard fist.

Nami wasn't convinced by his explanation. "…Alright, tell me why you're putting Hino-san through this modelling thing then, if you wouldn't want 'misunderstandings' to occur?"

Azuma's smile didn't falter, but the hand behind his back tightened considerably. "It was a request from Kirishima-san – a job. And we accepted it, like yourself and several others."

"And the two of you pretending to be a couple?"

"I believe I've already answered that question." He was referring to the time he confronted Nami about this, after Kahoko carelessly ran into his change room and told him she was prying.

Nami raised an eyebrow. "So, you're still sticking with the 'it's for Kirishima-san's benefit' excuse?"

"It's not an excuse, Amou-san." His smile widened. "Besides, from the moment these modelling sessions started, I've never once seen you against anything we've done. In fact, you're always so supportive and encouraging that it's difficult 'not' to do our best to impress…" He was willing to continue, but the dumbfounded look on Nami's face summed up the end of her little 'interview'… or was it an interrogation?

Nami couldn't deny he had her there. If she suspected he was using Kahoko, why wasn't she doing anything to stop it? She tried thinking of some way to explain herself, but nothing came to mind. Even if she did, she had a feeling Azuma would turn it all back on her anyway since - as he said - she technically wanted this. Damn it! Once again, there was nothing she could do or say to prove him wrong. And if that wasn't enough to annoy her, she realised she had gained nothing from their conversation just now. Every time she thought she was making progress, she found herself right back where she started. It wasn't like opportunities like this came up all the time either! He was difficult to catch alone and when he finally was, it was even harder to catch him not doing anything… Damn it all! He was so frustrating!

Azuma tilted his head to the side in apparent curiosity. "Is something wrong, Amou-san?" He did his best not to sound smug.

Nami blinked and realised her irritation must have been showing on her face. She quickly shook her head and flashed a bright smile. "Ah, no! Not at all! I was just thinking we better hurry. Don't want to keep Hino-san waiting!" She started walking again, but made sure to keep a step ahead of Azuma so he couldn't see how annoyed she was.

Azuma was more than willing to let her lead, for he needed a moment to recompose himself. He brought his arm forward – the one he had behind his back – and gradually eased his fingers out from his palm. It was a slow process, surprisingly, and his fingers were shaking as a result of the long, drawn out tension he applied on them. It couldn't be helped though. The way Nami questioned his feelings, along with Kahoko's, put him so on edge that the only way he could respond was with anger… That wasn't like him, not at all. He stared over his hand and thought about what she said that nearly set him off...

'From whose side, huh?' Azuma pondered over her meaning. Was she trying to see if their feelings for one another were one-sided or mutual? He contemplated that for a moment. If she thought it was one-sided, whose side was she referring to – his? Azuma nearly laughed. There was no way. She wouldn't have tried so hard to get answers if he was that easy to read. Kahoko on the other hand… Azuma's eyes widened slightly. Nami wasn't referring to Kahoko's feelings, was she? Is that way she was trying to get him to confess his, to see if they felt the same way? He deliberated on it, but it was difficult to wrap his mind around the concept of them being together – since he knew it wouldn't work. There was… something between them, but it wasn't what Nami was thinking, god no. Kahoko was stupid but she wasn't THAT stupid… And yet, the idea didn't displease him…

His mind wondered over the possibility again, but this time, he tried being a little more open-minded about it. That is, until another thing Nami said halted any chance of him considering the idea…

_"…Alright, tell me why you're putting Hino-san through this modelling thing then, if you wouldn't want 'misunderstandings' to occur?"_

That was difficult to answer. Even if he were to be completely honest, he had two different responses for it. One was ridiculous and somewhat depressing. The other would be one of the worst things he could possibly say. And sadly enough, that will probably be the response he'll give when the time comes. It will be for Kahoko's sake, and his. He dreaded the outcome and hoped it wouldn't come to that. But how could he think that way now, especially when he put all this in motion? He was purposely making it harder to bear. It was too late to stop, but his selfishness wouldn't allow that to be an option anyway.

It was then that his heart began to throb in pain. Azuma nearly staggered when he felt this. He caught himself and brought a hand to his chest. He clenched at his shirt, which didn't give him any measure of comfort and wondered how it even happened. He was completely healthy. He didn't have any heart problems. Did it have something to do with what he was thinking? Were his thoughts getting to him that much that it was affecting him emotionally as well? That was hard to believe, but then, what else could it be? 'Heh, I always accuse you of being an idiot, Kahoko…' Azuma smiled and shook his head. 'And yet, I wonder who the real idiot between us, really is?'

* * *

When Nami came to a stop in front of the nurse's office; Azuma stared over the closed door with a vacant expression. Kahoko was… here? He didn't want to believe it but why else would Nami lead him here? Did something happen? Was she alright? He wanted to ask, but he didn't trust his voice right now – not when he was growing overly anxious to see Kahoko. It was taking everything he had not to shove Nami out of the way just so he could rush inside.

He needed to see reason though. It must not be that serious if she was still here. If it was anything bad, she would have been sent home or to the hospital. Thinking like that helped relax him to a certain degree, but he would feel a lot better if he could see Kahoko for himself – whenever Nami was ready to open the door that is!

The idea Nami had in mind was to have Azuma see Kahoko lying asleep on the bed and claim something was seriously wrong with her. She would convince him to help take her home, and from there, she hoped to catch some good footage of him being the 'perfect gentleman'. Or more specifically, see how much he truly DID care about Kahoko. She didn't buy his lies. So the only way she could imagine getting him to confess, would be to catch him in a situation that he didn't expect. A situation where he couldn't pretend he didn't care or have the opportunity to twist the truth. Not when the evidence was clear. She needed Kahoko to confess too but that shouldn't be much of a challenge. Either way, she hoped this moment would give her something, ANYTHING, which could be used towards her story.

Nami took a deep breath and braced herself. She had her camera ready, plus Azuma couldn't do anything while she was blocking his path, so she could take her time entering. This will work. This WILL work. She slowly opened the door and took a step inside. Her sky blue eyes scanned the room, at first on the lookout for the nurse. She wasn't in, which was good. Nami should be able to take photos without any interference. She was all smiles until she glanced at the bed, and when she did, her eyes went wide while her mouth hung open in shock.

Kahoko was there, which she expected. She was lying on the bed and was sleeping soundly, again as expected, but what she didn't expect was to see Keiichi here. And he wasn't just here in the same room. He was lying on the SAME bed as Kahoko! This was certainly 'a bit' of a surprise… Just a bit… No, who was she kidding – this was unbelievable! They were both lying on their sides and were facing one another. But they weren't close in a way that would suggest anything was going on – much to Nami's disappointment. The only physical contact between them was that Kahoko was holding Keiichi's hand… sort of. Technically it looked as though she was holding his wrist but whatever, who cares about details? Kahoko and Keiichi were sleeping together!

"Amou-san, can I come in?" Azuma asked, having waited for some time to enter.

Nami stiffened when she heard his voice. Oh dear, what to do? She didn't expect this. But then… what better way to get a guy to reveal his true feelings than to get him extremely jealous? "Err, hang on a sec." Nami raised her camera and focused in on the unsuspecting couple. When she thought she had the camera on a good angle she took a picture and got ready to take another. She wanted to add this to her collection before Azuma did something to ruin it.

Azuma may not be able to see into the room but the sound of Nami's camera going off; along with the flashes, were a good indication of what she was doing. This concerned him, especially since this was hardly the place to take photos of someone. Not only that but knowing Kahoko was being subjected to this worried him all the more. Azuma glared at the back of Nami's head and brought his hand to the door. Since she was so preoccupied with photo taking, Azuma was able to swing the door open all the way and edge his way through without her notice. When he got the chance to see what she was photographing, a mix of different emotions hit him out of nowhere.

His initial reaction was shock from seeing Kahoko and Keiichi on the bed together. Then it was curiosity as he wondered how this situation came about. But that was only for a split second. His eyes homed in on Kahoko's hand then, noticing the way it was wrapped around Keiichi's. This sent a wave of jealousy through him. That jealousy then turned to anger and began to amplify when he came to the conclusion of who was responsible for all this. He slowly turned his head towards Nami with his eyes narrowing in fury.

She had set him up. She knew they were like this. She WANTED him to see this! And if that wasn't enough, she was taking pictures to REMEMBER this moment?! Kahoko obviously wasn't in on it. But Nami was taking advantage of her, along with him, and that got to Azuma more than words could describe. He was going to snap. He was already wound up tight with everything else that had happened today, but a little voice inside his head tried to make him see reason: He couldn't overreact – especially not in front of Nami. He needed to think about his image. What happened to the years of discipline he forced upon himself to keep his emotions bottled up, to keep his poker face intact and to NEVER step out of line?

He knew all this. He knew there were diplomatic ways to handle the situation. But this… this… this was just too much…

Nami was just about to take another photo until she suddenly felt Azuma grab her left wrist. She flinched at the unexpected contact and nearly dropped her camera. Thankfully the camera's strap was wrapped around her right arm so she was able to catch it without it falling. She was relieved at first, but it wasn't long before anger soon followed. If anything had happened to her little partner… all hell would have broken loose. She turned her head towards Azuma, ready to give him a piece of her mind but lost all train of thought when their gazes locked.

"…Don't…" Azuma warned with a dark edge to his tone. He only used one word but the effect was enough to leave Nami dumbstruck. A dark, fiery aura emanated from his body while his glare was cold and frightening. It was much like a cobra's in the way that it would paralyse their prey under their daunting gaze. Even his voice had changed. It was deep and surprisingly intimidating. He was like a completely different person… Was this really Azuma Yunoki? The Prince of Seisou, the kind, caring, friendly, dependable honour student? Nami always knew there was more to him, but even SHE wasn't prepared for this! She couldn't tell if it was shock or fear that left her completely helpless, but something about this sparked something from within. Something which made her heart beats steadily increase and leave her momentarily breathless…

Azuma caught himself before long, having realised what he was doing. Regardless if whether or not she set him up made no difference, he should have known better than to lose himself like that. He blinked and all evidence of his anger vanished without a trace, almost like a slip of a coin.

"Please…" He pleaded softly, continuing on. "Don't take photos of Hino-san and Shimizu-kun like this." His voice was back to its sweet, friendly tone. "It wouldn't be fair, especially when they're sleeping right?" He smiled and released his hold on her wrist. He gave her hand a little pat, as though apologising through that little gesture, but Nami didn't respond. She was still staring at him in sheer horror.

Azuma couldn't deny this worried him a little, but he tried not to let it show. If he made an attempt to apologise or explain himself, it would only increase her suspicions on him. All he said was 'don't', and that lasted for less than two seconds before he followed it up with a 'please' and went from there. What was she going to do with that? Nothing. Who would believe her if she decided to make a big deal of it? No one. Would she mention it to Kahoko? Possibly. All he could hope for was if Nami did decide to probe her for answers, Kahoko would hold her tongue and continue to play ignorant. There was nothing to fear. There was no cause for alarm. It was just another test that's all.

He turned away from Nami then, knowing there wasn't much else he could do and decided to approach the bed where Kahoko and Keiichi were sleeping. He watched the two of them for a while, and despite everything that just happened, he could feel his anger resurfacing again. Of course he kept a firm lid on it this time, but seeing Kahoko with another guy like this irritated him to no end. Especially knowing it was Keiichi – the one that PURPOSELY sucked Kahoko's finger that time. Was that not enough for him? Did he have to claim some other part of her body too?! Oh god, don't even go there…

"Hino-san… Shimizu-kun," Azuma called out with strained gentleness. Neither of them stirred. "Hino-san." He gave her a little shake with one hand. "Shimizu-kun." He shook him as well, but subconsciously gripped his shoulder harder than required, causing the young blonde to whimper in his sleep.

Kahoko was the first to come out of it. Her eyes slowly fluttered open but were still blurry from sleep. She closed them and reopened them a few times until she regained focus, and when she did, Keiichi's angelic face was the first thing she saw. She blinked and wondered at first if she was seeing things. She squeezed her eyes shut and reopened them several times, hoping she was, but his sleeping form stubbornly remained. Okay, fair enough, Keiichi sleeping again. Nothing unusual. But what about her? Was she asleep just now? Come to think of it, why was he in her practice room? And why was the floor so... soft and fluffy?

Kahoko shifted slightly, but in doing so she felt someone's hand resting against her shoulder. That must be Len. He should know why Keiichi was here. Her gaze trailed up his arm, recognising the jacket from the Music Department. She opened her mouth to speak but stiffened when her eyes focused on long silky purple locks. There was only one person who had hair like that, and it certainly didn't belong to Len.

"Hino-san?"

The moment she heard Azuma's soft, heavenly voice, she felt her pulse rate quicken as a result. Her eyes slowly trailed up his shoulder, across to his throat, chin then lips. And while her gaze lingered over them, her heart fluttered.

"Are you alright?"

Kahoko watched him mouth those words and forgot for a moment how to breathe.

Azuma paused and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Are you... awake?"

Kahoko blinked and snapped out of her trance. "Y-Yunoki-senpai!" Her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. She hoped he didn't notice what she was doing just now. "W-What are you doing here?"

Azuma's eyebrow twitched. What was HE doing here? Shouldn't that be HIS question to HER?! Well, so much for worrying about her condition. He carefully removed his hands from both Kahoko's and Keiichi's shoulders and took a step back before his anger got the best of him. He brought a hand to his hair and brushed some of his long locks behind his ear. He took a deep breath and forced himself to smile. "I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?"

Kahoko had no idea what he was taking about until she finally took notice of her surroundings. When she realised she was in the nurse's office, she wondered how she even got here. The last thing she remembered was listening to Len play his violin, but they were in the practice rooms. Kahoko looked around for him but Len was nowhere in sight. Azuma was here, along with Nami – who was standing by the doorway with her eyes lingering over Azuma… for some reason – and Keiichi was sleeping on a bed which... was the same one she was on… Eh? If they were on the same bed… and were both asleep… That would mean… they had been… sleeping… together. Kahoko went wide eyed in terror. But if that wasn't enough to freak her out, she noticed she had been holding his hand too! No wonder Azuma was getting the wrong idea!

Kahoko gasped and quickly backed away from Keiichi. But in her haste to put distance between them, she carelessly forgot she was on a bed. She slipped off the edge and fell backwards onto the floor. She let out a loud squeal and winced as her back made contact with the hard floor. Her arms were sprawled out above her head while her legs hung from the bed. She wasn't in pain but she was too shocked to move.

"Hino-san!" Nami ignored Azuma for the moment and quickly walked around the bed so she could help her up. Azuma remained where he was since Nami was already helping her. Not only that, but Kahoko's actions caught him completely off guard. If he had known she would do something so reckless, he would have stood by her side of the bed and not Keiichi's. It was strange, but while he was annoyed and upset with her, he could feel the corner of his lips curve up slightly. There was no denying that little spectacle was quite amusing.

"You okay?" Nami asked as she helped Kahoko to her feet.

"I… think so." Kahoko replied slowly. She couldn't believe that just happened, and once again in Azuma's presence. Since when was she ever this much of a klutz? She had her moments but come on. She might as well be his personal jester at the rate she was going. Azuma may think he was hiding his amusement well enough, but Kahoko could see it. She watched the way he brought the back of his hand to his mouth and coughed, hoping it didn't sound like he was stifling a laugh – but she knew better. Kahoko was glad that at least Nami didn't find this funny, or if she did, was doing a better job of containing it. Then again, Kahoko had a feeling Azuma wasn't trying very hard to hide it from her. This bothered her more than it should, especially since she should be more concerned with how she got here!

"Oh… Kaho-senpai…" A little voice murmured.

Everyone turned their attention to the bed where Keiichi slowly sat up. He looked as though he could sleep a little longer, but that was normal for someone like him. Keiichi stared over Kahoko's face and looked it over quickly, as though searching for something. Kahoko raised an eyebrow at this. When he seemed satisfied with what he saw, a sweet; heart warming smile graced his lips. "I'm… glad you're… alright…"

Kahoko blinked. "Eh? Was something wrong with me?"

Keiichi tilted his head to the side. "Isn't that… why you're here…?"

One would assume so. Only she didn't get a choice in the matter – she just woke up here. "It's nothing serious." She reassured. "I was just a little sleep deprived, that's all." Kahoko was tempted to eye Azuma accusingly –since he was the one responsible for her lack of sleep– but managed to keep her eyes on Keiichi. "Um, Shimizu-kun, can you please tell me why you're here and um… why you were… sleeping on my bed?" Kahoko felt the colour rising in her cheeks as she asked this. Hopefully Keiichi's explanation will clear any doubts Azuma may have about her. She didn't want him thinking she gave the young blonde an invitation or anything.

Her response wasn't what Keiichi expected. He was actually referring to something else when he asked why she was here, something he observed while she was sleeping. Oh well, he could always ask about it later, but for now decided to answer her questions. "… I'm here… because of… Tsukimori-senpai…" Keiichi replied with his slow, sleepy tone. "And… I slept with you… because you grabbed me…"

Everyone was caught aback by his words. Kahoko's eyes went wide and her jaw nearly hit the floor. So much for relying on Keiichi to clear things up!

Nami knew how Kahoko got here so that wasn't much of a surprise. Hearing Keiichi's reasons for being here however was better than expected! "Oooo, so you grabbed him Hino-san?" Nami teased. "Do you like taking advantage of little boys?"

"WHAT?! No! I didn't do anything I swear!" Kahoko took offence to that. Keiichi was only a year younger, despite having such a cute, angelic, boyish face. But that wasn't the point – she wasn't interested in him like that! She reached out for Keiichi and took him by the shoulders. "Shimizu-kun, that didn't really happen, did it?! Please tell me you're joking!" She shook him in desperation, hoping it would convince him to take it all back.

Keiichi stared up at her unfazed. "No… you did grab me… and I couldn't get free… which is why… I slept with you…"

Kahoko was shocked once again. His words knocked the wind right out of her. Her hands shook and her knees buckled. He replied so easily that she had no choice but to believe him. But she couldn't accept it though. There was no way. It had to be a lie…

Azuma did his best to remain calm through all this, but it was very hard to resist the urge to break Keiichi's neck. He didn't think it could get any worse than that time he sucked on Kahoko's finger – yet look at him now! He was lying on the same bed as her, claiming she grabbed him so he had no choice but to stay, then to say they 'slept' together so lightly made Azuma want to burn him alive. It took ages for him to get over what happened before. Not that he ever would, but he felt better knowing he finally trumped the cello player in the end. Or so he thought.

"Shimizu-kun," Azuma said his name through clenched teeth. "You mentioned Tsukimori-kun earlier… Could you please explain what he has to do with this and why you came here?"

Keiichi slowly nodded and began his story. "Well… I was heading to the… practice rooms…"

FLASHBACK

Keiichi was writing his name down on the sign-in sheet. It was to book one of the practice rooms after school. When he was done, his eyes caught the name of someone familiar in the box above his. It was Kahoko's. Having noticed she was booked in a room for lunch, Keiichi thought he'd pay her a little visit. He headed towards her room and walked in a slow but steady pace, but before he could reach it, he watched the door open as Len –who he didn't expect to see– stepped out. He had tucked under his arm a couple of score sheets and two violin cases in hand. One belonged to him, but the other was a dark maroon colour which Keiichi recognised as Kahoko's. This was strange to him. Even Len didn't look like his usual self. He seemed, tense and troubled about something, something which Keiichi was a little curious about, but not enough to ask about it.

"Tsukimori-senpai…"

Len jumped when he heard his name. He didn't recognise the voice until he turned to look at him. And when he did, his shoulders lowered slightly in relief. "Shimizu-kun… What is it?"

"Is Kaho-senpai… still in there?" Keiichi pointed at the room.

"No, she's not."

That reply confused him. "Did she… leave her violin?"

"Not exactly…" Len was in no mood to explain.

"So… you're… stealing it?" Keiichi guessed.

Len raised an eyebrow at his ridiculous assumption. "No, I was going to"–he paused–"give it back to her…"

"Oh… did… something happen…?"

Len turned his head away uncomfortably. He was remembering what happened after he brought Kahoko the nurse's office. The grabbing incident still embarrassed him, even now after walking back to retrieve her things. He was going to leave them in the room for her, but was beginning to get second thoughts. It wasn't that Kahoko did anything wrong, or at least, nothing he could blame her for. He was worried about how her actions affected him emotionally. And it wasn't in the negative aspect either which bothered him…

"Tsukimori-senpai…?" Keiichi tilted his head to the side.

Len snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the first year apologetically. "Sorry." He then had an idea. "Shimizu-kun, did you want to see her?"

Keiichi's original intention was to hear Kahoko play. But seeing her was just as good, so he gave a little nod.

"Alright, can you please give this to her? She's in the nurse's office."

"…Huh?" Keiichi's sleepy eyes widened slightly. "Is she… alright?"

Len quickly gave the blonde her violin case. "She'll live." He then held out a couple of score sheets. "Please give these to her too."

"Oh… Okay…" Keiichi was still a little confused but took the score sheets as requested. It was lucky he didn't have his cello with him; otherwise carrying all this around would have been difficult. He was about to ask Len something else but the second year walked by and disappeared before Keiichi could even turn around – not that this was done all that quickly.

Keiichi stared down the empty corridor for a moment before glancing at the score sheets he was given. "Ah… nice song…" He commented to himself before slowing heading for the nurse's office.

When he walked in, the nurse wasn't around but he found Kahoko easily enough. She was in the bed closest to the door, not to mention she was alone. Keiichi walked further into the room and placed the violin case by the foot of the bed. He then looked over the score sheets Len had given him and wondered where to put them. There wasn't a table or counter near the bed where Kahoko would see them. He didn't want to leave them on the floor in case someone stepped on them… So where else did that leave him?

While Keiichi weighed his options, he caught some movement from the corner of his eye. He looked in that direction and noticed Kahoko had rolled over in her sleep, which was nothing unusual… unless you count the expression on her face. There was a deep frown etched into her features like she was in pain or upset about something. Was this because of, whatever she was here for? He wished Len had filled him in on that 'minor' detail. She'll live didn't exactly give him much to work on.

Kahoko let out a little moan which drew Keiichi's attention again. She stirred a bit and began to whisper something in her sleep. This piqued his interest. Keiichi took a few steps closer and leaned over the bed so he could listen. It was faint but she was definitely saying something… Only trouble was trying to hear something coherent. A lot of times she mouthed out words in pure silence, or said parts of words which didn't make sense. But Keiichi stayed where he was, having found Kahoko quite fascinating to both watch and listen to while she slept. He wondered then if he did anything like that – talked in his sleep. It was a possibility, but he figured he didn't since no one ever mentioned it to him.

Before he got too carried away with his thoughts, he heard Kahoko whisper something again. This time however, it was something he understood. Recognition flickered across his eyes as he allowed the word to sink in, or more specifically – the name, which made Keiichi completely still. It wasn't what he expected. Did it hold any special meaning? There was a chance it didn't, as a lot of people said gibberish in their sleep. Keiichi searched Kahoko's face, hoping it would give him the answer he sought. And surprisingly enough, it did.

A lone tear began to cascade down the corner of her eye. It slid down the side of her face, leaving behind a clear wet trail. "Kaho-senpai…" Keiichi whispered with concern. He brought his hand to her cheek and gently brushed the tear away with his fingers. He then rubbed away at the excess it left behind, but did this carefully as to not wake her. His fingers were warm, and the warmth seemed to bring her a measure of comfort. Keiichi noticed her reaction to his touch and brought his palm against her cheek, just to see what would happen. The tension in Kahoko's face eased and eventually vanished. She looked more relaxed now and somehow, peaceful. He smiled fondly at this, glad he was able to help.

Keiichi heard her murmur something again, that name, and watched her hand slowly rise from the bed. It curled around his wrist and kept his hand in place, like she wanted it to stay where it was. He didn't know how to react at first. It would have been flattering, if not for the name he heard… But still, it was, nice. The moment was still his – not 'theirs'. Keiichi brought his other hand to the bed, the one that held the score sheets and laid them out over the vacant space beside her. He then leaned on that arm so he could move in and get closer to Kahoko. Their faces were only inches apart. He stared over her face and marvelled over the softness of her cheek. This felt right to him, and yet, he couldn't move any further. The name she called out earlier nagged at the back of his mind. He wanted to ignore it, but found he couldn't. Keiichi closed his eyes thoughtfully and stayed that way till the bell sounded.

He surprised himself with his actions. They were unfamiliar, but he wasn't afraid of them. Being near her, certainly taught him a lot of things. Keiichi smiled and got off the bed so he was now standing upright. It was time to go, but there was one small problem. He eyed the slender hand which was wrapped securely around his wrist like a cuff. He tried pulling away but Kahoko wouldn't let go. He tried prying her fingers off but that failed too. Keiichi stared blankly at her and realised, unless he woke her up, he was stuck here. But he didn't want to do that. He didn't know what was wrong. She was in the nurse's office for a reason so he wanted her to rest. So what other option did that leave him…?

END OF FLASHBACK

"And so… since I… got sleepy… I ended up… sleeping beside her…" Keiichi concluded, finally finishing his story. He mentioned everything except the name Kahoko called out and how intimately close he got. He didn't think it was worth mentioning, at least, not yet anyway.

Azuma blinked and stared at him dumbfounded. How someone could speak so slowly was beyond him. It was such a short story yet he felt he had been standing there for a good hour listening when it should have been no more than five minutes. Keiichi really needed a fast forward button. Then again, if Azuma got to choose any button, it would be the power one. That way, he could turn him off permanently and not have to deal with such dramas again. He knew it wasn't technically Keiichi's fault, but Azuma still held a grudge against him.

From Keiichi's story, Kahoko understood now that Len must have been the one who brought her here. She didn't know for sure but she didn't know who else it could have been. He was the last person with her after all. But it was strange. Why didn't he just leave her in the practice room like he did last time when he got sick?

Nami took a mental note of everything Keiichi said. It linked with what she saw earlier when Len carried Kahoko here, but there were still a lot of facts that remained unknown. Sadly, the only way to clear them would be to ask Len direct. But she knew that was a lost cause. Any attempt at interviewing him during the concours always ended in failure. If she couldn't get answers for the most basic questions, how could she get him to open up about something this personal?

Oh well. Perhaps she could ask Kahoko about this later. But for now, there were still some things she wanted to ask Keiichi.

"Shimizu-kun, the score sheets Tsukimori-kun gave you…" Nami started. "What song is it?"

Kahoko went wide eyed at Nami's question. She stared at Keiichi in flat panic, knowing she couldn't let him answer and had to stop him somehow. She couldn't exactly tell him to keep it secret without looking suspicious! She wished there was some way to signal him to be quiet and whisper to Nami that she will tell her later, without Azuma noticing. But of course that would be too simple. He would easily catch on and realise this had something to do with him, which she wanted to avoid that at all costs. Oh god, what to do? She scrambled through her mind for an idea, any idea!

Keiichi didn't notice Kahoko's panicked expression and went on to answer. "It was Dri-"

"AH!!!" Kahoko squealed suddenly, causing everyone to jump. She then rambled quickly. "I just realised something! I slept through half my classes! You did too, Shimizu-kun! You need to go and find out what you've missed! Be sure to do it okay?! I don't want to be held responsible for holding you back! I need to go to class too! But oh! It might be worth going now so we can catch our teachers! You should do that Shimizu-kun, and right now! Thank you SO much for bringing my violin"–she purposely avoided mentioning the score sheets–"it was very thoughtful of you! And I'm so sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!" Kahoko bowed her head several times to show her gratitude.

Keiichi stared at her blankly, not expecting to be thanked with such enthusiasm. "Oh… You're welcome…" He nodded and realised what she said was true. "You're right… I do need to… go to class…" It was his turn to bow then, this time in farewell. He had completely forgotten about Nami's question – just what Kahoko wanted. "Kaho-senpai, please take care… Amou-senpai, good bye… Yunoki-senpai…" He raised his head and stared at the long haired male with a sleepy yet unreadable expression. He opened his mouth, as though he was about to say something but thought better on it. "Good bye." He then turned and headed out the door before another word could be said.

Azuma watched him go and was more than happy to be rid of him, although he couldn't deny he was a little curious about what he intended to say…

"Hey wait!" Nami called after him. "You forgot to answer my question!" Before Nami could race after him, she heard her cell phone suddenly ring. Nami groaned and reached into her pink shoulder bag to retrieve it. She muttered with annoyance before answering the call. "Hello? …Ah, Kirishima-san, hi! …Uh huh… Yes… Oh, I have them with me… Hn… Oh?" Nami decided to walk out the room then. She wanted the privacy so she could better listen to Hanako without any distractions.

Kahoko sighed with relief at Hanako's perfect timing. She had no idea how she was going to stop Nami from asking about the score sheets. It was a miracle that she even managed to divert Keiichi's attention. Oh well, no one found out. That was the main thing. But hearing from Hanako must mean the next photo shoot was coming up soon. Oh joy…

"You might want to pick up those up." Azuma suggested, referring to the score sheets. "Otherwise your little diversion would have been for nothing."

Kahoko jumped in realisation. "Oh, right!" She quickly picked up the crumpled score sheets from the bed and hugged them close. She then wondered how they got in such poor condition and remembered it was Keiichi. He had slept on them when he supposedly couldn't get free of her grip. That seemed bizarre to her. As if she could overpower a teenage boy.

Azuma cleared his throat then. "...Well?"

Kahoko snapped out of her thoughts and quickly looked at him. "Yes? What?"

Azuma slowly exhaled. "What was the song?"

"…Oh." It just occurred to her then that while Azuma may have picked up on her little division, he must have thought it was for Nami – not for him. Oh dear… "U-Um, it's nothing really… just wanted to try something new…"

"Uh huh, something new, and that would be?" He continued to probe.

Kahoko bit her lower lip nervously. "It's…" –lie, make something up, say a song from the top of your head– "… a secret." You idiot…

Azuma's eyebrow twitched. "…I see." 'And why is it a secret,' he felt like asking, but in the end couldn't be bothered. His patience had already reached its peak today. He was in no mood for games. If she didn't want to tell him then fine, but he couldn't understand why. It's not like he would tell anyone if that's what concerned her. "Oh well…" He said after a while. "I suppose it has nothing to do with me anyway…"

'Oh if only you knew…' Kahoko thought to herself. It was difficult to imagine how he would react, if she had the courage to tell him. She could picture a lot of laughter, followed up by endless teasing, which in itself told her not to even bother. But what she would have liked; is for him to be open-minded about it and offer to help in some way. It was nice imagining the possibility of him teaching her the song. He may not necessarily play the same instrument, but he would be able to pick up flaws in her performances and tell her where she needed improvement. He wasn't one to hold back on negative feedback after all. And when she got better… Would he, possibly consider… playing it with her?

Kahoko's heart skipped a beat as realisation dawned on her. Was that why she was so interested in this song? So she could have the opportunity to play a duet with him…? It seemed that way. But if that was the case, she wouldn't need him teaching her the song right? Or was that something else? A duet was all well and good but that would only last a few minutes. Being taught to play a song however could take hours. Is that what she wanted? The opportunity to get just that little bit closer to him? Oh god; was that what she really wanted or was this just the song screwing with her mind, or possibly an after effect on all those dreams she had last night?

Kahoko turned to look at Azuma while she thought it through. But her thoughts didn't get far as she got distracted by the way he looked – not by his face, but rather what he was doing. He had his eyelids squeezed shut and was currently pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. He had his head bowed slightly and looked very irritated all of a sudden. It seemed as though he was trying to calm himself down. Over what she had no idea, but didn't have the nerve to ask. She wanted to, but she had a feeling it would only make things worse. And as if he could read her mind, Azuma's eyes suddenly flashed open with a glare which was directed straight at her. Okay… that wasn't good.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Azuma asked as he lowered his hand from his face.

Even though he was giving her the choice, Kahoko seriously doubted she had one. "What is it?" She asked hesitantly.

"Do you enjoy toying with people?" Azuma asked casually, almost like he was asking about the weather.

"Eh?" Kahoko stared at him quizzically. "Toying?"

"Yes, you know, leading people on – or more specifically, males."

Kahoko raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand what you mean."

He rolled his eyes. "Naivety can only get you so far." He then narrowed his eyes on her accusingly. "Don't pretend like you aren't aware of what you're doing."

Kahoko blinked in bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

Azuma glared angrily. "I'm not going to spell it out for someone who will simply dismiss it like they have no idea."

Could he be any more confusing?! Kahoko could feel her frustration growing but tried to keep a lid on it. For him, she did her best to analyse his words. Who was she leading on supposedly? He mentioned males but was it someone specific? Kahoko raked her brain for answers. The only person she could think of was Keiichi, but he had already explained what happened. Wasn't that enough? Didn't Azuma believe him? Or did he think she was awake the whole time and purposely grabbed Keiichi so he would stay with her? Kahoko went wide eyed when she grasped what she assumed was his meaning.

"I'm not leading anyone on! I didn't even know where I was, let alone that Shimizu-kun was with me!"

Azuma laughed mockingly. "You think this is just about him? Please… It's not hard to see who else you're affecting, and it sickens me to watch."

Kahoko's anger flared. "How dare you accuse me of toying with people when it's not even true, especially when you have no right to talk!"

Azuma was completely unaffected by her words and her tone. He brought his index finger over his lips, gesturing for her to keep her voice down. He then smiled with amusement, as though finding this exchange quite funny when all it did was annoy Kahoko more. "Oh no, what I do is completely different. I don't string people along and leave some false impression that there may be something more…"

Kahoko gapped at his words and without thinking yelled, "You liar! You do it to me all the time!" The moment she said it, Kahoko instantly regretted it. She didn't want to admit she acknowledged Azuma's advances, and at times – more like all the time – thought there might be more. She did her best to dismiss them, but how could she deny herself the pleasure of thinking for at least a second that she might have a chance, even when she got shot down and disappointed every single time? Hang on, what the hell was she hoping for here?

Contrary to what she expected, she heard Azuma suddenly burst into laughter, something which was totally unexpected and uncalled for. Did he find her comment funny, even when it was technically true?! Kahoko ground her teeth together and wished she had the guts to slap him. He deserved it very much at times like these.

"Again…" Azuma said, after taking a moment to calm down. "What I do to you… is different."

"Oh of course," Kahoko replied sarcastically. "Because it's you right? You're an exception to everyone else."

Azuma stared at her thoughtfully. "So are you…"

Kahoko was taken aback by that response. "That… doesn't make sense." Or at least, she didn't think so. What was he referring to exactly? Were they still talking about the same thing here? She was having a go at him for always teasing her, but his response… What did he mean she was an exception? Did he mean she was the only one he teased? Well, she already knew that, which was why she called him a liar for saying otherwise. But how was she different? …And how was it that even though she didn't understand him, he still managed to make her heart race? Whatever he was talking about, he meant it – supposedly – only she had no idea what it was! Great, now she didn't know what to think anymore. Did this whole conversation just make no sense in the end?!

Nami walked back into the room then. "Hey guys, sorry about that."

"No problem…" Azuma smiled, reverting back to his Princely self with ease. "What did Kirishima-san want?"

Nami beamed with delight. "She wants us to go to her store for a quick meeting. It's in reference to what I wanted to tell you both actually. But since she's going to make the announcement herself, I guess I'll keep my mouth shut till then…" She smirked. "I look forward to seeing your reactions…"

Kahoko didn't like the sound of that, and neither did Azuma.

"Very well. I'll let my driver know then." Azuma got out his phone and started dialling his chauffer's number as he walked to the door. Kahoko watched him go and wondered about their little argument. Whatever it was about, it kind of ended on a strange note and didn't seem to fix anything. It may have allowed Azuma to let off some steam but she didn't think that was the main purpose…

While Kahoko thought about it, she noticed Nami was still in the room but appeared to be eyeing the open doorway thoughtfully. Her eyes lingered there with an expression Kahoko hadn't seen on her before. She looked absorbed and intrigued about something, but it wasn't long before Nami caught her stare.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked with a smile.

"Um, yes, I just need to get my things." Kahoko replied.

"Okay."

Kahoko went to retrieve her violin case.

"Hino-san…" Nami said after a moment of silence.

"Yes?"

Nami looked back towards the door. "Yunoki-senpai… is quite interesting isn't he?"

Kahoko nearly fell over when she heard that. "Err, I guess. He wouldn't be so popular if he wasn't." Her voice faltered as she said this though.

"Hmm…" Was all Nami said before leaving the room. Kahoko watched her go with a vacant expression. She had no idea why but something about Nami's behaviour bothered her. The way she stared so intently at the door made her wonder if she was actually staring after Azuma. But why? Come to think of it, her question about him being interesting was very strange too. She wasn't looking for confirmation, she was looking for agreement. Why…? Kahoko picked up her violin case and hugged it tightly. This had to be a misunderstanding. She didn't know what was going on so she shouldn't jump to conclusions. Nami once said he wasn't her type so she had nothing to worry about. But… why won't this aching pain in her chest go away…? Kahoko closed her eyes and sighed in resignation.

She couldn't blame this on her dreams anymore…

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello! How has everyone been? I hope this chapter made up for my long absence. It's literally twice the size as all the others. Nearly killed me too – more so than the others lol. Now, let me take the opportunity to explain some things. This story isn't dead. So long as there are people out there willing to read it, I will continue to update it.

I can't update as quickly as I used to. In the beginning, since the story had only just started, I could sort of be a bit random and write whatever I wanted. Because of that, along with the chapters being less than half the size of what they are now, I could update rather quickly. Now, because the chapters continue to grow and I actually have a plot line I need to follow, it takes me longer to update. I also play with a wide variety of ideas, sometimes I stick to them while other times they get scrapped. I have eight versions of this chapter which should indicate how much I keep changing my mind lol. But putting all that boring stuff aside, I'll talk about the chapter now :P

I apologise once again for the lack of Azuma x Kahoko moments, but please bear with me. The next chapter WILL be focused on them. The third modelling session will finally happen and even after that, they should still have some intimate moments together. I can't guarantee how many chapters they will have but I'm aware of the lack of Azuma x Kahoko in the last few chapters, and WILL do something about it. It's hard on me too don't forget :P I'm pro Azuma x Kahoko and I'm surprising myself with all the scenes I'm setting up where Kahoko is with someone else lol. But it's all relevant. And it will eventually lead to Azuma and Kahoko getting together.

The scene with Len and Kahoko should speak for itself. It was mainly focused on the song Azuma played for her at summer camp. I threw in a bit of history, along with the promise of some future development with Azuma and Kahoko. Keiichi's scene I admit was mostly for entertainment purposes but holds promise for something I'll touch on later. Nami had a big role in this chapter lol. I find her quite fun and love the way she and Azuma play off each other. How things will develop with her is still a mystery, but at least it's forcing Kahoko to accept her feelings. She's not there yet but she's getting close.

Now I hope none of you will think it was OOC for Azuma to get angry with Nami and actually show it. I admit I had some doubts about making it happen but it works in many ways for me. We all know Azuma is perfect and can mask his feelings very easily. But think about it, how would you feel if you saw the person you loved in bed with someone else? Not only that but have this other person show you, without telling you anything, and watch as they take pictures? I'd tell you right now I'd be pretty p****d off. He had every right to be angry, and yet he still handled the situation reasonably well. More of this will be touched upon in either the next chapter or the one after. But if you still feel it was OOC then fine, you have your opinion. I'll use the excuse that it's for story purposes then :P Some things need to give in order for other things to happen.

And wow, I think I need to shut up before my A/N becomes its own chapter lol. Once again I am terribly sorry for the long wait. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Thank you once again for your continued support. I still can't believe how well received my story has been. I expected to stop ages ago, so yeah, thank you for still giving me the inspiration to keep going. I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter! :D


End file.
